Meteor II
by shanis
Summary: A kinda AU fic about female gundam pilots. Chapter 8 is now up. Warning: Many chapter contains some use of profanity.
1. Meteor II: Departure

All right this is shanis, and I'm here to tell you, well a lot of stuff, that this is my new story. Its been up in my head for ages, it just wouldn't leave me alone. This first part is kinda of confusing, don't worry about that all will be revealed in due time. To clear some stuff up every time change it is a different pilot lauching, unless it says the pilot's name. This goes out to my sister lirpa, for being my editor, my friends, Demona SaDiablo and Water Spirit, for being there and offering me encouragement and muses as I needed them. To Sabacat, for her help and friendship to lirpa and the inspiration I got talking with my sister about you. Finally for highflyer4life, same reason as Sabacat. Now on with the fic.  
Disclamer: I own no Gundam wing characters. I do own the plot and everyone I made up. Please do not take them without my permission. Madeliene is a friend of mine, she doesn't know that she's been included here. The changes I made belong to me, she belongs to herself.  
  
  
Meteor II : Departure  
  
A.C. 201  
  
*Another mission* Deula thought. "Stupid brat can't keep his own people safe." Deula's voice was acdic. "Ahh, Leo get my gundam ready. I have to leave in less than one hour."  
  
45 minutes later...  
  
" Lady Deula, Gundam Waterfall is ready for take off."  
  
" Thank-you Leo, you had better find Lt. Keren and Lt. Anata and inform them of these unforunate circumstances. Also tell Lt. Keren to follow when her gundam is ready."  
  
"Yes ma'am. Right way ma'am." Leo saluted and ran away to carry out his orders.  
  
Deula looked at the huge, blue gudam and put on her sky blue flight helmet. " Can't be indentified now can I," she chuckled to herself. Deula was the leader of the largest, and only, mercenary army. She called it the first army, it was the largest standing army around. The young woman walked toward her destiny. She raisesd a com link to her mouth and said, " Gundam Waterfall prepare to fly."  
The blue machine seemed to come alive. Deula approached Waterfall and it knelt, allowing her to enter.  
  
Deula got in, sat down, and began hitting switches and buttons that would start the flight into outer space and then to earth. " Maybe, I can finally get some sleep. Mental note: remember to sit on next time." with that Deula closed her eyes and went to sleep.  
  
3 hours later...  
  
A young woman stood next to a mammoth white machine. "Leo," she asked " is Gundam Sword Smith ready to follow Waterfall?"  
  
"Yes, Lt. Keren"  
  
" Good, I leave in five minutes. Lt. Anata is in command until we return. Water bottle; check,cushion; check. Kay, I got everything I need for this mission." Lt. Keren scaled up to the cockpit, hitting the button on the side of the enterance, she got in and started the flight sequence. Ten minutes later, the white gundam was speeding into outer space; towards earth and its pilot's next mission. The pilot's face was covered in a white helmet.  
  
5 minutes later...  
  
"She what" the young woman yelled.   
  
" She and her second in command are heading toward earth" the robed man responded. " High Priestess, you can not go it ... will be dangerous."  
  
" Yes, yes, old man, I know," the High Priestess remarked. " Now stop being stogy and prepare Gundam Deathstrike to go to earth, I will be fine." The young woman changed quickly from her ornate robes into a flight suit and helmet. "Figure me out now, boys."  
  
10 minutes after Deathstrike's launch on L5...  
  
The woman, girl really, looked at the man in front of her. " Mission accepted Master O. I will see to his safety, quietly, of course. Give me one hour to get myself and Earthmover ready for the flight. Good day." With that the woman closed her eyes and began to meditate.  
  
The man called 'Master O' looked at his wayward pupil and walked away. He glanced at the green gundam, with the forest green helmet beside it's foot, on his way out.  
  
30 minutes after the lauch of Deathstrike...  
  
" You are the hieress to millions. You are the owner of millions of dollars worth of industry. You can not go to earth, get into battles, and risk yourself, needlessly might I add. It is craziness, you can't do it. I won't allow it to happen. Madeliene are you listening to me? I will not allow you to leave the house. You are a girl and girls don't fight..."  
  
" Danny, stow it, I've been training all my life for this mission. I'm the only one who can do it. So shut up and get out of my way. I am going, whether you like it or you don't. Move, now, I have to get ready to fly Shooting Star to earth and engage in battle when we arrive there." Spinning on her heel, she walked back to her emense chambers and got her snad colored flight helmet. She then proceeded to walk to the hanger her gundam,her destiny, and her place in the world was stored in.  
  
In the hanger people buzzed around, getting Shooting Star ready for launch. She smiled, put on her helmet, and went to the huge gold coloured machine. "We got lots to do you and me." Madeleine smiled. "Danny can like it or hate it, but it ain't doing to change." She got in the elevator and acended to the hieght of her cockpit. "Time to head out into the stars" she murmured  
  
A chorus of 'good luck''s reached her ears as the cockpit closed.  
  
7 hours after the first gundam launch...  
  
" Yes Sir," the cold young woman responded. She closed up her laptop and turned it off. It was time for her to follow the Gundam pilots and join with her temperary compainions.   
  
The young woman newly christened 'Una Yuy', began to prepare for her own trip.  
She and her gundam named 'Dragon Rage' would be playing bodyguard to an old friend. "Well at least, I'll finally become part of the war," she whispered " with luck I'll even be able to tease him about that Releena child." She smiled creully, "maybe even wreak havoc on that mudball, while I'm there."  
  
She began to look for her helmet, which was blood red. After she found it, she began to boot up Dragon Rage. The red gundam launched its self into the air over L1. Operation meteor II was now in effect.  
  
On Earth...  
  
Six young men stood before Lady Une awaiting their orders...  
  
________________________________________________________  
  
This part is now done. I hope I didn't confuse any one. Now did you like my fic. All feed back is welcome, I enjoy hearing your thoughts on my writing.  
Shanis 


	2. Meateor II:In space, on Earth

I'm back. Any one confused by my last fic? * Hands shoot up* I'll try to explain. There are six female gundam pilots. Each was trained by the same person who trained their male counter part. Each girl has her own gundam and is a very capable pilot. That out of the way I can dedicate this fic. This one goes out to sister lirpa who motivates me. Who am I kidding she drags me to the hard copy of this story and tells me to write. She tells everyday that I'm a genius or the goddess of cliffes. The cliffes come later in the story. To Demona who tells me I'm killing her with suspense. To Water Spirit for the muse, he's great and a big help. To Sabacat and Highflyer4life for their unknown support and encouragement. Thanks a lot everyone. Finally to all my friends who these characters started off as.   
  
Disclamer: I only own my own characters and the plot. Madeliene is the name of one of my friends, I modelled that character after her, she belongs tp herself, except the changes I made to make the character plausible.  
  
Meteor II : In space, on Earth  
  
" Boys," Lady Une began " it appears as if a new whitefang organization is forming. The Preventers have rebuilt your gundams, so you can combat this threat to world peace. You will be informed of your missions when it is time. Dismissed." They all saluted her and left her office.  
  
Once outside Duo was brusting waith exictment. " I wonder what they look like, what they can can do..." Duo just kept jabbering and the others soon tuned him out.  
  
They walked down to the hanger, where they assumed their gundams were being kept. Everyone gasped as they looked at their machines. The gundams looked all most the same as their first gundams. Everyone had a kinda coming hame feeling. Even stoic Heero; thought he didn't let it show.  
  
All six ( let's include Zechs) examined their gundams with awe. They may have looked the same but these were much, much more advanced. Better weapons, faster, the whole deal. Even Duop shut-up awe struk as he was. (I've nothing against Duo, but tell me who else is going be talkative?)  
  
Une watched from the from the sidelines. "It's like giving a kid a present. They're so excited like kids at Christmas."  
  
" Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy, I wonder what they can do." Heero looked at Duo, silently willing him to shut-up (who else is going to talk).  
  
Une smiled, now would be a good time to make her enterance and explian the new gundams to her pilots. "These gundam have the same names as your old ones. The are capable of taking everything, but another gundam, with ease. The have a system very like the zero system, except this one won't try to control you. It's called the Zero-Two. The motor control are about the same. I suppose that's everything. Now it's time for the test flight, are you all ready?"  
  
Meanwhile in space...  
  
Deula yawned and blinked. Her computer was beeping. So she reached forward and hit the consule. " Shut-up you stupid thing, I was sleepin'" muttering unpleasantries under her breath Deula started to type on the keyboard. " One hour and twenty minutes from Earth. I could have gotten more sleep! Stupid machine!!!" she muttered.   
  
" Deul Lady, this is no time to be thinking of yourself. I have a mission for you."  
  
" Yeah, yeah, I know, you programmed the damn computer too."  
  
" Yes, I did."  
  
" Oh, I am goin' to kill you, asshole!!"  
  
" Yes, now, your mission is to blow up a new OZ Whitefang alliance base in the south pacific, without being seen."  
  
" Mission accepted, now leave me alone," Deula screamed as she turned the computer off.  
  
Lt. Keren sighed, " I should have brought some paer to draw on. I am so bored. I've already cleaned my guns, five times. I am so bored. I thought this was supposed to be exciting."  
  
" You are now two hours and twenty minutes from Earth." the computer announced.  
  
Lt. Keren groaned, " I am so bored."  
  
  
Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing! the priestess a.k.a. the Dragoness was playing Ping Pong with her vid screen. Suddenly the screen lit up.  
  
"Hello, Dragoness, how are you?" the man with a pointy nose and hair like a mop asked.  
  
"Fine." Boing.  
  
"I have a mission for you. You are to work with 032 to destroy a OZ/ Whitefang alliance base in the south pacific, without being seen"  
  
"Whatever" she replied. Boing, Boing, Boing.  
  
"Could you pleaaase stop that?" pointy nose, mop hair questioned.  
  
"Nope, " Dragoness answered. Boing, Boing, Boing. "Mission accepted, bye-bye." The Dragoness tuned the vid screen off, quickly because she was tired of seeing and hearing to Professor G prattle on and on.  
  
  
Dragon Rage sped towards Earth. Inside the cockpit, on the vid screen, a young man looked at the girl in front of the screen.  
  
"So why did you have to leave without saying good-bye to me, baby?"  
  
"Jason, lovely, my emotions are going onto the back burner for the next four months or so. I know, why don't you come to Earth and help me out, huh? Say you'll come, lovely."  
  
"For you, Una, and only for you, baby." Jason signed off.  
  
Una sighed, at least she'd get to see her love one more time before she died.  
  
  
Madeleine sighed, Danny just wasn't going to let this drop.  
  
"You're crazy, at least let me send some guards to look you."  
  
"Danny, I'll be fine, besides, I will be working with other young women like me, and I have Shooting Star. I'll be fine, you are worrying over nothing, nada, zip. l love you Danny, bye."  
  
She turned the vid screen off. Sighing, again, she opened an audio link. Speaking calmly she said, " To all the other participants in Operation Meteor II I have offer for you," she grinned, "Come and stay at my Earth mansion and we'll discuss the bestr way to carry out the main objective and Operation Silencer. Plus we can all get to know each other and decide on a safe house for our loved ones. Shooting Star out."  
  
She cut the link and hoped against hope that they would jconsider and accept her offer.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
There this part is done. Thanx to lirpa for helping me type this up. Luv you.  
  
Lirpa: You better. If you don't I'll steal your editor powers while your asleep and erase all of your creativity.  
  
Shanis: You wouldn't dare. Then you'd never find out what happens next.  
  
Lirpa: Stupid sister! You always have to be right. * Lirpa walks off muttering*  
  
Shanis: Bye Lirpa. Now everyone please review the story. I like all feedback. Review. 


	3. Meteor II : Earth

Yeah, I'm back. Okay, this story is coming along alot faster on paper than I'm uplaoding it. I'm already at chapter ten, it's just that I hate typing so I keep procrastating typing the next part up. Now that I've finally made myself type it up, this part goes out to Lirpa who as always encourages me and helps with the mechanics of this story. To Demona SaDiablo who let me write the first three parts at her house and who gives me so many ideas that I'll never be able to incorperate all of them. Finally to all people who reviewed the first two chapters, it made me want to write, to write and show you what I do best. These chapters are short so it's going to take alot of them to get through the plot I have sitting up in my head. Please be patient with me.  
shanis  
  
Meteor II : Earth  
  
The pilots each let out a gasp when they saw Earth, for the first time. Each gundam landed on earth, and each pilot got to checking the directions they had been given.  
  
Quatre was talking to Trowa, all of the others had agreed to stay with him, and he was happy and content in the moment.  
  
" I'm just so sorry that this, all of this, peace can't last. I mean we could have improved it, we could have built on it, made it better!"  
  
" ...."  
  
" Sometimes I you would talk to me." Quatre said.  
  
" Quatre, " Trowa sighed " I was trained to be quiet. Old habits are hard to break." Quatre nodded. Trowa sighed, again, he was going to have explain to Quatre. His past was a mosaic of painful experiences. Their was one memory that he could share with Quatre, with out fear of insulting him. Trowa smiled, " Their isn't a lot of my past I can share, but there is one memory I would like to share with you." (Warning: This is a flashback!)  
  
" I was just, maybe, about nine, and I couldn't get to sleep. I vaguely remember Doktor S arguing with someone outside of my door. Then a resounding slap. My door opened; I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I was afraid that my visitor was Doktor S. She, by this time I knew she was a she, came and sat on my bed. It was dark, I couldn't see her. I've always wished I knew what she looked like. She sat there, stroked my hair, and sang softly to me. She had the voice of a nightengale. I opened my eyes and met hers. She had glittering green-grey eyes, i can close my eyes and still see hers. She smiled down at me, at least I think she smiled at me, she said ' My little Nanashi, don't look so sad. Don't you know that I'm always going to be there for you. Little Nanashi, you can't be Nanashi anymore, from here on in you should be known as Trowa.' She began to sing again, and I soon drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, she was gone. I haven't seen her since, but many nights I heard her singing and it lulled me to sleep. I've always called her my nigtengale."  
(end flashback)  
  
Quatre wiped a tear off his cheek. " Oh, Trowa, that is so sad. I wish we could find her and then you could meet face to face."  
  
" Quatre, I don't need to see her face. She has always protected me. I felt her precance through out the war. She was always there whan it looked so bleak, just when everything was about to fall apart. I'm not alone, Quatre. I haven't been alone since she found me for the time. That's why I'm so quiet, I listen and try to hear my nightengale."  
  
Quatre smiled, if only he could meet this nightengale. He could only dream of what he would like to say to her.  
  
Meanwhile in the cockpit of Waterfall...  
  
" My little Nanashi stay out of trouble, you hear me. My sister, Una, we'll meet again soon. Brat, you don't get into trouble or it'll be your hide." Smiling she and he gundam headed off in an easternly direction.  
  
Quatre swore, a very rare thing, " I can't believe I forgot," he muttered. He ran to get changed for a business meeting with his chief adversary for L2's gundanum alloy deposits. How had he forgot such an important meeting? Oh, yes, he had been listening to Trowa, mysterious Trowa, tell of a greater mystery. So now, Quatre hurried to get ready for this ever important meeting.  
  
15 minutes later...  
  
" I'm here to meet with Quatre Winner, please." She listened to the reply. " Of course it's business."  
  
Rashid sighed, the girl was younger than he expected. She was dressed in a sand coloured flight siut and had a helmet, of the same colour, under her arm. She didn't look like one of the world's richest business people.  
  
Duo desended the stairs and saw one very beatiful girl waiting to talk to Quatre, probably. *Well,* thought Duo * I'll just talk to her a little bit while she waits for the Desert Prince to come and talk to her*  
  
Madeleine smiled, seeing Duo come down the stairs. * Maybe, I can talk to him. After all he's not my assignment and seems friendly enough.*  
  
"Hi, I'm Duo Maxwell. " (need I say)  
  
"Well, hello, Duo, I'm Madeleine Goulden."  
  
"Danny's little sister." Duo's eyes widened. Danny had said that this girl was very annoying,  
  
" Yeah, Danny's been telling ya thing about me?" she asked. Duo nodded. " Well, I deny all of them! " she finished. Duo had to laugh, this girl was truely funny and she had spunk.  
  
"Madeleine, may I ask why your here?" Duo enquired.  
  
Madeleine's demeanor changed, from a joking friend to a cool, collected bisiness woman, in a second. " I have a meeting with Mr. Winner over a deposit of an alloy from our home colony he wishes to buy."  
  
" Oh, " was all Duo managed.  
  
Rashid sighed, Quatre was finally ready for this meeting. " Miss Goulden, will you plaese follow me?" he opened the doors to the board room. She winked ay Duo and kissed his cheek.  
  
" For luck." she whispered and followed Rashid. 


	4. Meteor II:Meet and Greet

Hah, now we get to the good part of the part so far. There are so many characters that I can't fpocus on all of them in one chapter, so bear with me. This part goes out to my friend and sister Lirpa. My supportive friends K.Skysong and Demona SaDaiblo. And finally to everyone who has reviewed my work. The name Madeleine Goulden belongs to a friend of mine and I make no claims to it. The G- boys may seem a little OOC, but that can't be helped. I need them this way for the plot of the story.  
  
Meteor II : Meet and Greet  
  
Quatre blinked in suprize at his rival. " Hello, Miss Goulden have a seat, please."  
  
" Thank- you, Mr. Winner," she replied softly. Madeleine pulled out a chair and sat down. "I'll be blunt, Mr. Winner. I don't really have time to haggle over the price of said alloy. This is only a token effort in my part."  
  
"Why ? Gundamiun alloy is a very limited resource. It is usually very costly." Quatre was very confused by the young woman in front of him.  
  
" Mr.Winner..." she started  
  
" Quatre. " he interupted.  
  
" Fine, Quatre," she continued, " I understand why you would like to keep a good supply of the alloy on hand. Your own gundam and those of your teammates, would be the most probable reason. You can use the alloy to repair any damage done to your gundams. I too have a use for the alloy. Shooting Star wouldn't bge the same withy out it."  
  
Quatre sighed, this meeting was not going his way. Suddenly, Madeleine stopped talking. Her head hit the conference table. " Rashid," Quatre yelled, " get a medic in here, right now."  
  
10 minutes later...  
  
The doctor looked a Quatre. " Frankly, Mr. Winner, I don't know how she manged to stay coherent this long."  
  
" What do you mean?" Quatre was worried. He didn't know what to do with the young woman. Duo was talking her, even though she was unconscious, he was also keeping watch beside her bed. She hadn't even stirred since she had fainted in the conference room. She couldn' stay here. They ran the risk of being found out if she did. But he couldn't send her back to L2, her health was to touchy at the moment. And he still he'd some answers. She had seemed like she was going to reveal something vital when she fainted. Like what a " Shooting Star" was.  
  
" Mr. Winner, I guess what I'm trying to say is that she should have probably reschuled this meeting and gotten some rest and something to eat. She hasn't slept or eaten in about two days. she has also probably gone through a ver stressful situation lately. That however, cannot be confirmed,it is just my opinion on why a healthy young lady like her would have fainted so suddenly." the doctor stopped.  
  
Quatre thanked the man and, called one of his sisters. He had a good idea that he might need a doctor on hand for the next little while, at least until, Miss Goulden recovered. Heero was not going to be happy about this turn of events, it was unaviodable. So he would just have to survive it.  
  
Heero looked at Wufei , " Your kidding, right?" Heero asked.  
  
Wufei shook his head, " No, apparently she fainted on the conference table. So we have a house guest for the next week or so. Until she is well enough to make the journey o wherever she was going or back to L2. We will have to be careful not to expose our secret to her." Wufei grumbled.  
  
Heero grunted." Is she awake, and if she's not how long until she does wake up?" he quiered.  
  
" No, the doctor thinks that it will be about two days until she wakes." Wufei was surprized at Heero was taking the news.  
  
Late that night...  
  
Heero looked at the sleeping girl. She was strong, she would make it out of all this alright. Any one could look at her and see that. He was however, intrigued by her mysterious front and lack of personnal records on her. So he had no idea what to do with her.  
  
Suddenly Madeleine strated to thrash about on the bed.  
  
" No. I won't. You can't make me, noooooo," he voice rose in a hoarse scream. Heero simply reacted, going to her side and attempting to calm her down.  
  
" Shhh, It's alright. No one will make you do anything to do. I won't let them. It will be their life if they try," he soothed.  
  
Quatre entered the room, because he had heard a scream. What he saw surprized him. Heero was sitting on the bed, stroking back the unconscious girls' hair back; soothing her.  
  
Heero looked up at Quatre, " she was going to wake us all up if she kept screaming, he stated, while getting up and exiting the room.  
  
One week from "that night"...  
  
Madeleine looked up at Duo, she had been cleared to travel today and had insisted that she could walk. It had turned out that the " assignments" had also insisted on carring her around. She sighed, " Duo, please just put me down on the couch." Madeleine was beginning to regreat having yielded to them, but what could she do? Even Heero had agreed. She had been, and still was, out numbered.  
  
She had talked to Una, Deula, Dragoness, Keren, and Silence, they had all agreed to tell the " assignments" the truth, the whole truth.  
  
The pilots entered and sat down.  
  
Madeleine cleared her throat, " I know you have all had to very careful around me this last week. Careful to keep certain things a secret. Things like gundams..."  
  
There that's part four done. What did you think? Please review, I'd like to know what everyone thinks of my writing so far. I'd also like help, put the gundam pilots (all of them, mine included) in an amusement park and what happens. I'm having trouble with that chapter. Thanx alot Shanis. 


	5. Meteor II: Reactions

It's been a long time since I've written last and I just want to let the people who are reading this fic that I haven't stopped writing, just been a little busy with school and all. This goes out with thanks to my sister lirpa, my friend Demona, and all my other little insipirations. A note that Madeleine Goulden is a real person and I've just modified her a little, or a lot, so she fits into this story. I don't own any Gundam personalities, but my own characters are mine, please don't use them with out asking.  
/ - the stuff between these things is an e-mail.  
* - the stuff between these thing are thoughts  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
Meteor II: Reactions  
  
Everyone looked at Madeleine, mouths hanging up in shock.  
  
" What do you know about Gundams" Trowa asked, becoming the group's sopkespilot.  
  
" Everything and anything. I grew up around them." she replied to the question. " I bet that you are wondering how I can say that? Quatre's probably also wondering what a 'Shooting Star' is? I remember mentioning it our business meeting."  
  
They all nodded.  
  
" I can answer both at once. Shooting Star is my Gundam" she looked pale and faint.  
  
Wufei couldn't stop the words, they just came out. "Are you alright" he asked.  
  
" I'm fine. Now to prove that I'm telling the truth. Heero get your laptop. In Instrutor H's files their is one called "Neo Pilot", in that file is a whole bunch of stuff on me. Each mentor has one..." she broke off as Heero swore.  
  
" I can get into that file it needes a fingerprint" he muttered under his breath.  
  
"Can you do that with that, " she pointed to Heero's laptop, " or do I need to get mine to show you?"  
  
"No you can do the scan with this machine" Heero responded.  
  
"Alright, bring the thing here," Madeleine sighed as the device scanned her fingertip. It beeped.   
  
"Identity comfirmed, Neo Pilot entrance granted." the pilots hear from the laptop.  
  
The file opened, and inside was a picture of Madeleine. She was wearing sand and gold. Every picture in the file had Madeleine in the same colors: sand and gold.  
  
Heero readd out loud from the file, "Shows great progress in hand to hand; abilities rival any on L2 now. See clan file for further information."  
  
"Go to the next entry," Madeleine urged.  
  
"Operation Meteor II has begun. The pilots have launched; pilots 032 and 022 have completed the first mission. We have lost contact with pilot 042. She is presumed dead."  
  
Madeleine snarled, "Give me that!"   
  
Heero complied, watching her warily.  
  
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, typing out a message, she smiled and hit send. All the while smirking at the others.  
  
"What did you tell him?" Duo asked.  
  
"That he's an idiot, I'm fine and soo not dead, and to send my love to my brother." The smirk was still dancing on her face.  
  
"Danny'll kill him for that," Duo said, his large violet eyes laughing.  
  
"Shoot the messanger," the screen flashed, " I have e-mail" Madeleine mused.She moved the mouse over to open and clicked. She found that the mail was from Earth@L5mail.com. / Hey, you've finally logged on. It's about time, everyone is here and going up the walls. Found my niche, everyone here is quiet, except Strike's pilot. Anyway, see ya soon. Earth. P.S. Fall is going to try to kill S for his critism of her latest gig, and Rage is waiting for someone. We can't pry his name out of her./  
  
" I thought you didn't know any names or anyone," Trowa said.  
  
" I don't, " Maddy replied, " I know their code names and therfore I know that she is for real." She chuckled, "anyone have any questions for me?"  
  
They shook their heads.  
  
" Good, 'cause I have to leave today, soon actually."  
  
Quatre looked shocked. " Are you sure that you're well enough to travel with your injuries"  
  
" Quatre, you're a dear, but yes I've been claered to travel and 012 will be here to pick me up in an hour and a half. So, I reall y have to hurry."  
  
Heero looked up, "Who is 012," he asked.  
  
"Don't know. All I know is that they call her Rage and she's not someone you don't want to mess with, but that can be said about all of us really. We really weren't given much information about our new teammates."   
  
After saying that, she began to sit up. The world suddenly spun and she found herself in Wufei's arms. He had picked her up, and it was time for another round of carry the female Gundam pilot around. He carried her to her room and left her on her bed, so that she could pack her stuff in peace, well relative peace.  
  
One hour and a crapload of packing later...  
  
Duo looked at Danny's little sister. " You take care of yourself kido and keep fighting. But if you need help don't hesitate to call us, okay. I think even Wu-man would haul ass to help you. Good Luck."  
  
" Thanks, Duo, that means more than you can ever know. It means that youi believe. And that means a lot to me."  
  
The next to say good-bye was Quatre. He entered the foyer of the house, where Madeleine was waiting.  
  
"You're sure it's okay for you to travel? I know if you get injuried again or cause one of remaining injuries to become more serious, I'll never forgive myself for letting you go." A faint pink color stained Quatre's cheeks, he was blushing.  
  
"I'll be fine, Quatre. Thanks for letting me stay here while I was recovering. I know it must have been a HUGE sercurity compromise, and it must have been hard to convince the others I would NOT murder them in their sleep, so I'm not going to reveal this location to anyone. On that you have my word."  
  
Quatre sighed, " That's more than I have the right to ask of you, of anyone. Thank- you, I know we'll all sleep easier knowing we have one more friend out there. However, if it is your life or that of one of your comrades and this is the closest safe house, don't worry about. Come here, I'll be more than happy to help, and we can always find a new place to live. Take care and fly cautiously, my friend."  
  
" Don't worry overmuch, friend Quatre. I will."  
  
Just then everyone in the house heard the sound of a helicopter landing, just out side the gates. All the other pilots entered the foyer. There were quiet good-byes and hugs from Trowa and Heero. Wufei just looked at Madeleine, " Good luck on all your missions, onna." A strange half smile played on his lips, " Stay safe and in one piece and plaese be careful." What followed was a tenative embrace, tenative by both parties invlovled. Breaking the embrace Madeleine nodded and waved to all the male gundam pilots.  
  
She ran across the front yard, opened the gated and jumped into the helicopter that was waiting for her. As soon as she was on and the door closed, the pilots stared the engine and the craft took to the air and disappeared into the horizon.  
  
Back on the ground, eyes straining to get one last glipse of the girl who had changed their lives so much, who had let them no they were alone, was Heero.   
* I think, I'm actually going to miss her, I'm not quite sure when she stoped being a pest and started being one of us, but she did.* Heero puzzled over this revalation for about three minutes before moving on. * I wonder who 012 is? She has no little bit of talent. She could be a vaulable ally and a dangerous enemy. Couls she be one of my sisters? Deula or maybe Una? I miss tham both so much.* Heero turned and followed the others back inside the foyer.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
There another part done. Oh, God, I hate typing. Okay now comes a shameless plea for reviews. Please, please, please review this part. I want to know what you think, most importantly I want to know if I've confused you so I can set things straight at the beginning of the next chapter. Like I've said this story has been in my head a long time and that is where most of the background info is. Please tell me if I've skipped anything. Please also tell me if you liked the story, I like gettin' postive feedback too, it motives me to write more. Flames are also welcome. They tell me what I'm doing wrong and then I can fix it.  
Shanis. 


	6. Meteor II: Luck

Hehe, I'm back. I know I haven't updated this story in a long time, but I had finals and all that stuff. Now I'm out on summer vaction, so you can expect more of this story to come. I have more free time. Well, maybe not, but I promise by August 22 I will have updated at least six more times. My goal os 13 chapters the last one going up on August 21. This fic goes out to all the people insipired me to write this, my closest friends. But most of all this goes out to my sister lirpa. In case anyone is wondering here are the descriptions of the characters. I couldn't find a place to put them in the story.  
  
Una & Deula have dark brown hair, greenie-grey eyes and are about 5'5. They both have serios faces and slim builds. They are caucasian and 16.  
  
Silence has curly back hair and brown eyes. She has a light brown skin tone and stands about 5'6. She is aslo 16.  
  
Keren is about 5'10 She has red hair, freckles, and hazel eyes. She has a very fair skin tone. Keren is 20, soon to be 21.  
  
Dragoness is stout and about 5'2. She has straight black hair and and a dark skin tone. She like most of the pilots os 16.  
  
Madeleine is fair skin and has light brown hair. She is slim and stands at 5'6. She sports a set of hazel eyes and has freckles on the bridge of her nose.  
  
There, now that the descriptions are done I can actually get on with the fic. Madeleine Goulden is her own person, she has just been modified to fit in to the story. Tell me if there are any more blank spots so I can fill them in.   
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Meteor II : Luck  
  
Wufei snarled. *He had finally met a onna that was not weak and he'd only had one short week with her. And he'd had to share her with the other gundam pilots. Life was not fair, there was no justice. This was a gundam pilot, he knew she wasn't weak , just because of this. No one could be weak and pilot a gundam. No, she wasn't weak, she was smart and strong. And what was that funny feeling in pit of his stomach.* (Could it be he was falling in love? Nah, it couldn't. After all it is Wufei I'm writing about here.)  
  
Meanwhile at the Safehouse for the female group...  
  
The girls had all arrived, Madeleine and her escort having just gotten in. About a five minutes ago they had decided to play truth or dare. They had all just asembled now. The game was about to begin. Una put a huge bowl of all of the female pilots, and they dug in with emthusium. The six quickly devoured the bowl, and then seriosly began to persue their game. When Madeleine piped up, "Well, could everyone please tell me their names? As it seems very rude to be calling you all your code names."  
  
"Deula," pilot 032 said.  
  
"Dragoness," pilot 022 hummed.  
  
"Keren," pilot 062 murmured.  
  
"Una," said pilot 012.  
  
" Silence," whispered pilot 052 or Earth.  
  
" Well, I'm Madeleine, or pilot 042." she grinned.  
  
It was answered by Dragoness. Who then said, " Since we're all acquainted, Who wants to start?" She took a sip of her soda, all the pilots had one, and had had one since before chowing down on the popcorn.  
  
"Come on who is going to start?" she persisted. " No one spoke up.  
"Alright. if there's no takers, I'll start." Twirling around to face Una she said "Truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth," Una 's quiet voice seemed to carry through the air.  
  
Dragoness grinned wickedly, " Who is your boyfriend?"  
  
Una blushed and smiled. "Since I have to tell you all," a slight frown creased her forehead and she sighed, " and I do have to tell you, his name is Jason. nd I met him on L1. He said he'd come to Earth to help out, so you all will get to meet him soon. But enough about me, Keren, truth or Dare?"  
  
Keren looked up, "Dare," she said, full of mischief.  
  
The rest of the pilots conferred for a moment.  
  
Una spoke up, because she had asked the question. "Alright, here is your dare. When you next see the male pilots you MUST kiss the first one that enters your field of vision."  
  
"Mission accepted," Keren agreed in a monotone. Her voice lightened, " My turn, Madeleine, truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth," Madeleine's reply was all smiles and nonchalance.  
  
" Cool, I've been waiting for this. Since you spent the most time with tha 'assignments', out all of us, you must tell us which one, out of all of them, that you would like to go out with the most."  
  
Madeleine's face fell and she sat in quiet thought for a moment. " I don't know... I guess it would be..."  
  
Quatre's Mansion  
  
Zechs looked up when his cell phone rang (humor the author, pretend they still have cell phones) Getting up he fished it out of the duffel bag on the floor, by his bed, and held it to his ear.  
  
"Hello," he spoke in to it, after raising the small object to his ear.  
  
"Hello, Zechs, how are you sweety?" the voice on the other end said.  
  
"I'm great. You?" Zechs replied.  
  
"Cool, but I'd like to see you. Would you meet me at the lake 12 kilometers from where you are, in three hours,please? Will you?" the voice asked.  
  
"You know I can't tell you no. I'll be there." Zechs smirked as he spoke.  
  
"I'll see you then." the voice said.  
  
Safehouse of the female pilots...  
  
"Who is it?" everyone screamed at Madeleine.  
  
"It's, well how do I say this..."  
  
Quatre's Mansion  
  
Zechs scaled down the wall, intent on meeting his girlfriend. He looked up, after dropping to the ground and stole into the garage. Where he got his motorbike. ( So, sue me. I want Zechs to have Moterbike!)  
  
Heero looked out the window, and then back to the object in his hands. Smiling, he put it away and joined his koi in bed, quickly falling asleep.  
  
Safehouse of female pilots...  
  
"Argh, just tell us it is?" Dragoness barely didn't scream. She was loud, but she didn't scream.  
  
"I'll tell you later," Madeleine was actually blushing"  
  
By the lake...  
  
Zechs stood freezing off some parts of his lower anatomy, And wondering where his gielfriend was.  
  
Suddenly another another motorbike (see I know there reason Zechs had a motorbike) rolled up to the shore.  
  
"You came," her voice ghosted out on the air around her.  
  
"Of course I came," said Zechs said, indigantly.  
  
"I love you, Zechs," she said.  
  
" I love you, too," Zechs exclaimed as he leaned down to kiss his love.  
  
Safehouse to the female pilots...  
  
"Alright, everyone gather round. Maddy, has decided that she is going to tell us now!" Una announced in a earth shaking bellow.  
  
They all, quickly, assembled in the room that had been home to their halted truth or dare game.  
  
"His name is..."  
________________________________________________________  
  
Yeah, another part done. Who do you think Madeleine most favored pilot to date is. I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Bye for now.   
Shanis 


	7. Meteor II : Revelations

Hi, I'm back! Questions, comments? Put 'em in reviews and then I'll answer them. Wow, look at that, I'm alresdy at Chapter Seven. I know i didn't think I'd make it this far in the story. Well, if you remember the mystery pilot was about to be revealed at the end of the last chapter. This is dedicated to my sister lirpa, who has helped with this story form the beginning and Demona SaDiablo who always seems to find ways to help me relate to my characters. Finally to all those people who review this story, your reviews are a real insirpation. Forgive me I can't remember all of your names right now, or any of them. Now on to the fic.  
*- stuff between these things are thoughts  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
Meteor II: Revelations  
  
"His name is ..." Madeleine blushed. " Wufei, are you happy now? You've gone and embrassed me."  
  
"Why, Wufei?" Silence asked quietly.  
  
"Well, he was just so sweet to me and so kind. I think he only called me weak," Madeleine thought for a moment, "twice."  
  
Silence chuckled, "He knows if he calls ME weak I'll take his pride apart bit by bit and spoon fed it back to him."  
  
Madeleine looked up, "How coulod you do that?" she asked, curious.  
  
Silence smiled, the first smile her new teammates had seen, " I know all sorts of embrassing when you where a chibi Wufei stories, and I'm not afriad to use them for blackmail."  
  
Everyone shared a laugh over that when Una suddenly spoke up, "Has anyone seen Deula? She's been gone a long time. Deula where are you?" she asked herself. "Well, I'm going to look in the house for her, anyone who wants to help is welcome to." With her piece done Una got up and started to look for the wayward pilot and friend.  
  
15 minutes and a house that's been searched top to bottom later...  
  
Una came down stairs, she had just finished looking in the attic with no luck. it had taken a whole of about two minutes for the other pilots to start to help her look. After all they said if they didn't know where she when they might need her help they might all end up dead and as the Dragoness had said, " I don't have the time required to be dead. It's a lot of work and I have enough problems as is." So they all looked.  
  
"Any luck, yet," she demanded of her fellow searchers, the two who had just returned form the basement shook their heads. It appeared that Deula was no longer in the house.  
  
"No, she's not here. She must have taken off for parts unkown while we were trying to get Madeleine's favorite pilot to go out on a date with out of her" Dragoness commented. Saying what everyone was thinking.  
  
At then lake...  
  
"I love you Zechs and I'm so glad you came," she grinneed up at him. " There are times when all I can think about is you I miss you so much."  
  
"I lovde and miss you too, sweety. Just be gald of then time we have together, when nothing is happening."  
  
" Zechs?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can you do me a favor?"  
  
"Depends what it is."  
  
"Well," she leaned forward and whispered in Zechs' ear.  
  
"I think, I can do that. But it's not much to go on" he commented.  
  
"I know, boy, do I ever know. He's as eluscive as anyone I've ever heard of. Maybe even worse that me." she said, thinking out loud. " What I really want to know is if he's a treat."  
  
"He is."   
  
"Then, how big a threat?"  
  
"I'll try, love. That's all I'm saying. No garantees about this, because I might not come up with anything."  
  
"I know! I just need to know whatever I can about him, in case he should attack."  
  
"Alright, I'll see what I can do."  
  
Quatre's mansion  
  
Heero looked, no death glared, at Zechs. "Where have you been?" she asked in a  
quiet no nonsense vioce.  
  
One hour ealier at Quatre's mansion  
  
Treize (yes, the author is in denial) entered the room.   
  
"Quatre?" He looked startled to see all of them in the same room. He sighed deeply, what he had to say could not wait.  
  
"I hate to interupt, so I'll be as quick as possible. Forgive me if I'm overly blunt, but does anyone know where Zech is?"  
  
The pilots, sans Quatre, looked at Treize in stunned surprize, after about five minutes they began to reconginze that Treize was indeed real andc he had asked a question. Slowly, one by one, as if afriad to let Treize out of sight, each pilot shook his head.  
  
"I thought not," was Trieze's response. " Well, if that is the case, we must start searching for him."  
  
And so the pilots and Trieze began to search the house. Unforunately their search revealed no, zip, nadda, Zechs. Apparently he had flown the coop, so to speek.  
  
Each retreated to his own room and worried over where Zechs could be and what he could be doing. They worried about the things that best fir their natures. Heero sat stock still worring over a security breach, Quatre if Zechs was hurt, Trowa over the same thing as Heero, and so on.  
  
Quatre looked at Trowa ans sighed, " I just don't see where he could be. I'm pretty sure he's not hurt, I hope not at least. I think I would have felt it if he got hurt. In fact I'm sure I would have felt it. I don't know anything else though. I'm worried, Trowa."  
  
"I know, me too." Was the only response he got.  
  
Treize entered the room silently and heard the last part of Quatre's small speech to Trowa. " Quatre," he said, and Quatre and Trowa jumped.  
  
"Could you not do that?" Quatre asked  
  
"Of course, put your worries to rest. And remember Zechs can take care of himself. He was the best student ever at the academy, after all. Even with out a moblie suit or Gundam, Zechs is able to defend himself. I have confidence in his abilities, you should too." Treize's voice was so soft Quatre had to lean in to catch the words. Even leaning in he barely heard the former OZ leader.  
  
Present time at Quatre's mansion  
  
"Where have you been?" Heero asked again.  
  
"Out on a private matter. A matter that is no concern of yours."  
  
"It is when you risk the mission and ALL of the people involved."  
  
"How does my personal business 'risk the mission'?"  
  
" Your 'personal business' may lead to a security breach that could cost someone their life and then we will never be able to complete the mission."  
  
"I didn't tell her any thing of this 'mission', but I do beleive, Gundam pilot or not, I am allowed to have a personal life, without checking in with Lady Une or you frist!"  
  
"I'll ask one last time, where were you?"  
  
"And I'll tell you one more time, none of your goddamn business." With Zechs stromed up the stairs and into the room that was his at Quatre's mansion.  
  
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows,Treize sighed. *That was not the way to approach Milliardo (Sp?) about a matter he considers to be private. After all the lighting baron treasures hos privacy. Even through it all you haven't changed so much as you would have the others think my friend. Strangely you still seem to refer to this mystery woman as she or her. Who are you protecting, what are you hidding.*  
  
Safehouse of female pilots...   
  
Deuls quietly opened the door and slunk into the house, only to be ambushed by Dragoness and dragged into the living room.  
  
"Where were you?" Una demanded, " You scared me."  
  
Deula smiled, Una was still the protector of the little ones, even if she was older than her sister. And she did owe these people an explation.  
  
"I was visting one of my men. He was in the frist group I ever lead into battle. He retired last year. He lives around here, so I thought, while you where coaxing a name out of Madeleine I'd go visit him. I guess it took longer than I thought it would. Who was it by the way, which pilot?"  
  
Una smiled, Deula hadn't changed. "It was Wufei, or pilot 05. Now that we know that everything is okay, we can all go to bed and get some sleep."  
  
A chorus of "at last's" went through the asembled pilots as they sought their beds. All expect Silence who fit her hunter greemn helmet over her head and walked out the door, she had a mission.  
  
A few minutes later, 38 km due east from Quatre's, near Sally's...  
  
A green Gundam was engaged in a battle with so many moblie dolls the sky was was black with them. It was a battle that the gundam was definately not winning. Not that the pilot was amazing, the pilot was, it was just that there was too many enemies for one Gundam to fight.  
  
The Gundam went down, the dolls retreated, the one in control of them foolishly thinking the Gundam and it's pilot obliterated. That's how Sally saw the scene anyway. As soon as she was certain it wasm safe she ran out to the destroyed machine. She had to see if she could help the pilot or if they were all ready past help. She had to try and save that pilot, it could be important to the war.  
  
When she reached the fallen gaint it took her serval minutes to figure out how to open the cockpit. When she didget it opened she was shocked. Inside there was a young woman, no, a girl really, who looked hurt. Sally was surprized, she didn't even know woman piloted gundams, let alone fight like this one had. It was a shock to say the least.  
  
Picking her up she carried her new pateint towards the jeep she had come here in, turning her jeep towards her home she hoped the mysterious pilot could hold on. Looking to her home, the place she would try to save this pilot's life she hoped time was on her side.   



	8. Meteor II : Chapters 8 - 10

I'm back. This chapter is special because it contains chapters 8 - 10. I just got tired of posting it in little parts. Don't expect much out of me for the next little while, I'm not even done Chapter 15, and I've been working on that for a month. I also didn't reach my goal. Sorry!I've got a bad case of writer's block. Well now to what you've all been waiting for, the story. And remember, please READ & REVIEW, thanks. shanis  
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Chapter 8  
Meteor II : Putting the Past to Rest  
  
Wufei looked at the gates to the small shrine, from outside it wasn't a very noteworthy building. Still the small, drab, building made Wufei's heart clench and unclench, and it made him sigh. That was the trouble with what he was about to do, he couldn't NOT do it, but he felt like he was betraying some part of himself by doing it. Wufei was finally going to put his past to rest.He needed to move on.  
It had taken a war, a rebellion, and the threat of another, oh, also a very special girl to get him to do this, and he still wsn't sure about it. It had been made clear by their visitor that another fight was coming and Wufei knew he had to be ready for it. He could only hope Merian and the clan would forgive him. Ah, the girl, she was like Merian in many ways, a breath of fresh air, a ray of light, a reason to fight, and fight he would. Right after he had done this.  
  
"I wish for just one moment in time that I could be worthy of her love, but I will remain unworthy because of my failure to my clan and my wife." Wufei's voice was so soft it could be called inaduible, not that anyone was aroung to hear what he had said, anyway.  
  
Wufei gathered his courage and entered the shrine; he knelt. Carefully he lit the insense he had brought with him, and began to pray. He prayed for guidence, and courage, but above all he prayed for forgiveness from his clan for his waekness, his faliures and his mistakes. Finally he prayed to his young wife to forgive him for falling in love with some one else. He sincerely hoped his ancestors would grant his wishes.   
  
For hours Wufei prayed and cleansed his soul, though he knew not how long he had been in the small, plain, drab, shrine when he finally left, he did know that he felt much better for it. He had been freed of the burdens he had been carrying since his colony had been destroyed. When he had rose from the floor of the shrine he had felt ...differnt. He didn't know it, but there was a new light in his eyes and he walked with his head held high and proud. His soul free of guilt and sorrow, for the first time since that dreadful event, Wufei walked out of the gate and back to his car. And, oh, yes, it was a new Chang, Wufei that had got in the car, and this one was vastly different from the old Chang, Wufei. Vastly different, indeed.  
  
Back at Sally's...  
  
Sally was working down in the basement, so it was understandable when she didn't hear Hilde come in. She was busy, trying to keep her new patient alive. Dou's sister of heart and soul called out to Sally from the top of the stairs and upon recieving no answer continued down crefully, worried that something had happened to her friend.  
  
When she got to Sally's medical area she called out again, and this time she got an answer.   
  
"Third door to the right." A voice that clearly belong to Sally called out.   
  
So Hilde continued to the third door to the right to fing Sally working on putting stiches in a struggling young woman.  
  
At the door, however, she heard a strange voice. The woman had her eyes closed and appeared to out cold. The only thing that showed she was awake was her movuing lips. The voice sounded again, saying the same thing.  
  
" Let me go. I've got to leave, have you know sense, by shielding me your putting yourself in great danger. Let me go, I must leave."  
  
"And how could you be putting us in danger?" Hilde questioned from the doorway.  
  
"Me, my gundam, the dolls. Doesn't that spell danger?" came the retort from the strange girl.  
  
"Sush, the dolls left hours ago. No one is in any danger." Sally soothed.  
  
Hilde pulled Sally out of the and demaned to know, " Why are you humoring her?"  
  
"Because, Hilde, when I found her she was fighting moblie dolls and she was piloting a gundam. Please do us both a favor and call Quatre's place. This information must get to the boys."  
  
"Are you sure about that, Sally. I mean in her condidtion that might not be the best idea, think about what the boys might do to that girl." Hilde shuddered. "Besides, she may not even be a gundam pilot, just a modified Tarus or something like that."  
  
"No, Hilde, I was up close to that thing, or what was left of it, it was a gundam and she was its pilot. Call Quatre's."  
  
Hilde dutifully went upstairs to the phone and made the call to Quatre's. Heero answered the vid phone and as Hilde filled him in on what was happening at Sally's he started to frown.  
  
"Wufei and I are the only pilots here, but we will be there im about 15 minutes to see this 'pilot'." The link was cut.  
  
15 minutes later...  
  
Wufei and Heero pulled up in front of Sally's. Hilde met them at the door.  
  
Wufei snarled, he had just gotten back from the shrine and was beginning a kata,(sp?) he was rather irate. "Explain this, onna!" he demanded.  
  
Hilde sighed, "When I got here today, Sally was in the basement When she didn't answer the door I let myself in and went down into the basement looking for her. Then I heard a strange voice. There's a girl in one of the rooms and Sally says she found in the desert, in a gundam. The girl is a mess, so take it easy on her."  
  
Heero grunted, he had no intension of "taking it easy" on this so called gundam pilot. They needed answers and he was sure that this "girl" had them, he would do whatever it took to get them from her. Whatever it took.  
  
Wufei sighed, he wanted to know how many of these female pilots they could expect, plus he had been practicing when Heero had interupted and told they were going to Sally's. "This has what to do with us?" he asked snidely.  
  
Heero answered, seriously,"She my be a female gundam pilot. Sally thinks that she is. We at least have to verify the threat, we may have to eliminate it."  
  
Wufei nodded. The mission was simple, it was dishonourable, but it was still simple.  
  
The boys followed Hilde down the stairs and to right out side the room the girl was in. Hilde stuck her head in the door and signaled to Sally. Who quietly left the room. Heero and Sally went down the hall to talk, but Wufei could not take his eyes off the girl on the bed. He opened the door and settled himself in the chair in the corner. For a while they just stared at each other.  
  
Finally the girl spoke, but it was in Chinese, so Hilde didn't know what was being said. "Wufei, I want to go home. Let me go home."  
  
Wufei silently broke down, just when he thought he had left his past behind it came back, like the cat from the song. " Silence, what did you do to yourself, you look awful. How did you survive the explosion of the colony, and why are you on Earth?" he aked  
  
The girl, Silence, took a deep breath, "I wasn't on the colony when it detonated. I came to earth because I was told to, beacuse I had to fight. As how I came to be here and in this condition, I took on a few to many Moblie dolls. I won't be able to get out of here any time soon and I have to get back to my safehouse."  
  
"Alright, I'll see what I can do. No promises though." With that Wufei got and walked out the door to where Heero and Sally were speaking.Hilde was standing dumbstruck by the door to 'the girl's' room. Wufei's whole conversation with her had been in Chinese.  
  
Half an hour later...  
  
Silence looked at the doors to her temporary home as Una and Madeleine, the only pilots there ran out to help her.   
  
"Come in," Madeleine called while running towards the jeep. When Wufei picked up Silence, she turned and ran back into the house, Wufei, carrying his precious burden, and Heero followed her inside. Una brought up the rear, when she reached the door she silently closed it.  
  
Chapter 9  
Meteor II : School  
  
* - denotes thinking   
  
Monday morning...  
  
Silence got out of the jeep and shifted her school uniform. Tugging on the skirt, she wished it was longer. That or she had taken Deula's approach and had threatened the tailor until he agreed to fit her for the boys uniform. It helped that Deula had an army to back up those claims, an army that would start a war over something as simple as a school uniform. The loyalty that Deula commanded was impressive, her response to it was even more impressive. Except to threaten the tailor, she hadn't even mentioned the fact she was one of the most feared miltary commanders in the Earth Sphere. It had, however, been two days since her unforunate meeting with the male pilots, she was hoping those two days would act as a cooling off period. After all, they hadn't liked everything that they had been told. Shifting her bag on her shoulder, she walked towards the school's enterance, behind her fellow pilot, a girl called Madeleine.  
  
Trowa sighed. The sigh was born from the fact that Quatre had insisted that they all go to one school. Trowa could see no reason to go to school at all, let alone this school. this school was a very posh affair. In Trowa's mind what all that boiled down to was that this school was very expensive. This gave the slight pilot an advantage over his friends, because he was the only one truly comfortable in surrondings and the people that came with them. Trowa was slightly lost in thought when a jeep pulled up. He watched with no real interest as two people got out. One was tugging on the hem of her skirt and the other was ... Madeleine. Madeleine headed towards the enterance and the girl followed her. Madeleine, however, stopped short when she saw Trowa sitting on a bench outside the school, in the uniform for it, looking as uncomfortable as Silence.  
  
"Trowa," she called out, walking towards him. She sat down on the bench he occupied and continued, " I didn't know you came to this school."  
  
It was this time the other male pilots chose to arrive. Heero looked at the girl standing to Madeleine's left. " You should not be able to walk." were the first, and only, words out of his mouth.  
  
Silence didn't even bother to reply. It was that moment that Madeleine's team mates chose to arrive. Most of them fit, expect one young woman, she was wearing pants instead of a skirt, and it was she who answered Heero's statement.  
  
"Yeah," she said, "but she can." The subject was left at that.  
  
Introductions started, Madeleine introduced all the female pilots to all the male pilots, and vice versa, until there was only one introduction left, " Trowa, meet Silence. Silence, meet Trowa."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
Madeleine grinned, " How did I know you two were going to say that?"  
  
Dou smirked, " I know what you mean, the conversation sure is lively." This remark produced a chuckle out a great deal of the small group. All heads jerked up when the bell rang, and the newly assembled gundam pilots hurried of to class, all ten of them.  
  
Two classes later...   
  
Una was fumming, she had just gotten out of history class. A class that had focused on peace treaties. In her opinion, as an L1 native and a participant in the treaties, they had overestimated Relena's importance in the treaties of her home colony, L1.  
  
Quatre looked at the woman who was the most recent addition to the mangacrops(sp?). At teh moment she was standing behind him, in a relaxed defense posture. There was one thing that was different about her, she was angry. Finally unable to stand her anger any longer he asked, " Why are you so angry?"  
  
"Little prince, what they said in there isn't true. Ms. Peacecraft was important to the signing of the treaty, but she wasn't that important."  
  
Quatre looked up, mystified.  
  
"She was not the only one who worked out the terms. We sent our own representive to the talks. In the L1 cluster she is called The Red Lady. She is one of the major reasons we signed at all. Ms. Peacecraft was important, she was not vital. We wanted these peace as much as you did, but we would not allow ourselves to be walked on."  
  
"That's why you're so angry, you feel the people of Earth are disrecepting your colony and people."  
  
The mangacrop just nodded. She once again didappeared as Quatre moved off to have lunch with his friends. The meeting place for lunch out under the trees, on the grounds. When he got there the others were all there, already, it seemed to Quatre the Duo and Madeleine were carrying most of the conversation, like as in 99.9% of it.  
  
"I know!" Madeleine exclaimed joyusly.  
  
"Know what?" Duo asked in a state of confusion.  
  
"I figured out what we have to do to become more comforable around each other. 'Cause we're obivously not."  
  
"Why do say that?" Quatre asked, sitting down beside Heero and Trowa.  
  
"The silence," Madeleine remarked, and then continued, " usually most of us are a little more vocal. Anyway, I figure that since everyone is here that we all go somewhere as a group somethime. It doesn't really matter where we go, it just matters that we do."  
  
20 minutes later...  
  
They had finally decided where to go. It had taken them twenty minutes, but the had offically decided where and when. The when had been easy, they would go on Saturday. The where was what had taken twenty minutes to decide. It had come out being an amusement park. it was the only choice even marginally acceptable to all parties. During the discussion everyone, even Silence and Trowa, had raised their voice in opinion of the suggestions voiced. That was what had taken twenty minutes  
  
The bell rang, and everyone hurried back to their respective classes. Dragoness sighed, she was stuck in chem, she wasn't even very good at chemistry and that was making it worse. Come to think of it there was only one course she was worse at and that was Foods. * Isn't life great, my second worst class on my first day*  
  
Settling into her seat, in about the middle of the room, she sighed. Looking back she saw Una and Heero near the back of the classroom. *Of course,* she thought, *both have the last name Yuy for this mission* Una had refused to change her surname to avoid conflicts at school. Looking back again, Dragoness manged a rueful smile, *No guns,* she thought, * what a good sign. The fact that nothing has happened is even a better one. I was sure there would be trouble over her surname, but she refused to change it.*   
  
"Miss Sang, are you paying attention?" the teacher queired.(sp?)  
  
Dragoness nodded absently and the teacher picked up his lecture from where he had left off.  
  
At the back of the room a private contest of wills was going on. Una glanced at Heero to find hisface ab expressionless mask, as she knew hers was. It seemed that this contest was going to be a stalemate.  
  
*Now,* she thought, *I am wishing that I agreed to change my name. But I was told my name for this mission would be Una Yuy, and god damnit it will be. He's not going to intimidate me, because I won't let be intimidated, not by the likes of him at least* The whole time she was thinking this she was also mindlessly making notes.  
  
Meanwhile in Art...  
  
"Deula, what are you drawing?" Madeleine asked.  
  
"Well, you all want to know what Una looked like as kid."  
  
Various heads nod.  
  
"So," Deula continued, "I'm drawing her and the brat when she was around seven and he was around six." There was a momentary pause and then, "There it's done." she announced. Everyone, but Heero, Dragoness and Una (They're in chem class, remember), crowded around to see.  
  
"Hey, that's Heero!" Dou said. Deula nodded, while the bell anounced the end of class. They all trooped off to the next class.  
  
After school, they all met out in front of the school. Una was death-glaring Deula. Duo looked at the two and then looked at Heero. "Yeah," he saud after thinking a moment, "it does look just the same as when Heero does it." Quatre and Trowa just nodded their ascent to Duo's comment. Everyone else either nodded , shrugged, ar glared at Duo.   
  
After a few moments of discussion they all spilt up to go home. The last thing the male pilots heard was Una muttering, "I can't believe she did that. How could she do that?"  
  
Everyone laughed,  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
For all of you who've never been to Galaxyland, in West Edmonton Mall, that is what this amusement park is based on.  
Meteor II : Saturday  
  
Duo looked, over his shoulder, at Heero and wufei, who were lingering outside the park. All of the others were already inside, Heero and Wufei were just putting off the inevaitable(sp?), and Duo wasn't having any fun waiting for them.  
  
"Come on, Heero, Wufei, hurry up. We're gonna be late!" Duo shouted.  
  
Finally, after much whinning, the three entered the park and headed off to the meeting place. Trowa and Quatre were sitting, with five other people at a pinic table.   
  
"Hey, Duo, what took you so long?" Madeleine asked.  
  
"These two," Duo said, pointing at Heero and Wufei, "wouldn't hurry up."  
  
" Okay, okay." Madeleine said trying to stop giggling.  
  
It took about ten minutes to divide everyone into groups and to get them to agree not to kill their partner.  
  
Quatre noticed that, strangely enough, all the groups only had one boy and one girl. Groups of two and no one knew their partner. Finally, Quatre gathered his courage to ask his partner, and the organizer of the event, the reason why.  
  
"'Cause, Quatre, everyone has to get used to the people they were trained to work with. You see sometimes you just connect with a person, Silence and Wufei, for example. But most of the time you have to work at connecting, kinda like Trowa and Deula. I think it's vital that we know a little about the person that we're suppose to be working with. That they're real, not just some faceless civilian we don't really care about."  
  
Quatre couldn't have been more stunned, and his face showed it.  
  
"Okay," Madeleine responed, "I'll shut up now."  
  
"No, don't. Because you're right. We do need to know each other. If we know each other we can trust each other, and then we can work together as a team."   
  
Quatre and Madeleine meander away, looking for something that catches their interest.  
  
Meanwhile across the park...  
  
Una looked at the huge rollercoaster, then at Heero. "I want to go on that," she said, pointing to th rollercoaster.  
  
Heero looked at Una, the at the huge rollercoaster, then at Una again. "Mission accepted" he murmured, quietly as he could in the noisy park.  
  
Deula and Trowa were walking around, aimlessly.  
  
"Why are we here?" Trowa asked.  
  
"We're here because the others decided that we had to come with them. Which reminds me...." She whipped out a cell phone, and began to rapidily dial.  
  
"Who are you calling?" Trowa queired.  
  
"Aren't we just a bundle of curiosity" Deula quipped. "If you simply must know a couple of friends, old friends."  
  
"Hey, you," she waited for a response. "The amusement park." She listened for a moment. "Stup up and stop laughing, right now." The response was instantanous(sp?). "Why, why? Because in a few minutes you are going to be down here suffering with me," a pause, "yes, I'm quite serious. Well, catch you in a few. Ja ne!" she hung up and turned to Trowa.  
  
"In a few minutes, I'm expecting two fellow sufferors. We should probably wait by the gate." So, they turned and headed for the enterance.  
  
Wufei and Silence looked at each other, looked at the crowds, looked at all the laughing screaming people, and looked at each other again.  
  
"I'm not going into all those people, I'll be deaf in olny a few moments." Silence said, bitterly. wufei nodded, and the two began to look for a quiet corner fro which they could watch the mayhem.  
  
Dou looked at the bundle of energy standing, or more correctly jumping next to him. They were waiting in line for the "Swing of the Century". It took awhile, but they finally gat on, and Dragoness started yanking on Duo's braid.  
  
"Hey, stop that. It hurts." Duo complained to her.  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"Because, it's annoying, already." he stated.  
  
"Cool, just like Professor G and ping pong."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I play ping pong with the vid screen in my cockpit. And, then, when he comes up on the screen and asks me to stop. But I don't, and it seems to annoy him, a lot. So I try to do that as much as possible. It's almost as much fun as blowing stuff up, or play truth or dare with the other female pilots. They're real fun, once you get to know them, of course, you have to survive gettin' to know them, first. Getting to know them is tricky and dangerous bussiness."  
  
Duo stood by her looking schocked, and a little dizzy from the ride.  
  
Meanwhile on the rollercoaster...  
  
Heero closed his eyes and thought *How did I get talked into this. Oh, right, Una asked me to.* Una, was sitting beside him, and having the time of her life. When they got off the ride Una was smiling and Heero felt like puking.  
  
"That was fun!" Una exclaimed happily. "What do you want to do now?" she asked.  
  
"Sit down,"he replied.  
  
Suddenly Heero's eyes widened. " Let's go find Deula, sis. I see trouble, and I think she's coming this way." He sounded desperate.  
  
"Okay, Heero, we'll go find Deula nd her tag-a-long" she replied, faintly amused.  
  
"His name is Trowa," Heero growled.  
  
"Really, nice to know. Now let's go." She pushed Heero towards Deula's head, which she could see in the crowd.  
  
Releena appeared before Una, she seemed intent on Heero's retreating form.  
  
"Excuse me, miss?"  
  
Releena looked at Una.  
  
"Is there a reason you're following my brother around?"  
  
"Heero doesn't mind, he loves me."  
  
"Kuso. Are you always this delusional, little girl? He loves you not!" The communacator, around her wrist beeped. Una turned and spoke into it. " If she gets by me, don't let her near him." The communacator beeped again, "Affirmative," Deula's voice replied.  
  
Una glared at Releena, "Child, I strongly suggest you turn around and leave, now!"  
  
"I won't leave without Heero. I know your hiding him from me."  
  
"You leave me no choice, Omae a korosu."  
  
Releena stepped back, "You wouldn't."  
  
"I would, because you annoy be and my family, now leave."  
  
Releena turned and ran from the fearsome young woman.  
  
Una turned and walked in the direction that her sister and brother were, with Trowa, of course.  
  
When she got there she saw two strange people, one man and one woman.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
There it's done. Who are these strangers and what do they want? Who did Deula call? You're gonna have to read on to find out. And no I don't dislike Releena, I just don't agree with her ideals, nor do I believe she belongs with Heero, but that's just one person's opinion. Remember pleare READ & REVIEW. Thanx. shanis  
  



	9. Meteor II : Chapters 11 - 15

Hi, I'm back. Well, I've got some good news. Meteor II is only going to be two, three at most, chapters more. There will be a squeal, but I probably won't post it here. There's just not enough interest in this story. Well this chapter is going to contain chapters 11-15. Well enjoy, and remember READ & REVIEW.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ _  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Meteor II : Lunch and Identities  
  
"Let's find the others, get out of this madhouse, and find something to eat," Deula suggested. Everyone nodded.  
  
Una glared at her sister, "Introduce us," she demanded.  
  
"Una, this is Zechs and Noin. Zechs and Nion, tjis is my sister, Una."  
  
"Nice to meet you Una," Nion said politely  
  
Una nodded, then replied crisply, "the feeling is mutal. Now we'll go locate everyone else and then we can leave, ne?" She smiled a brillant smile and slipped into the crowd.  
  
15 minutes later  
  
Una appeared, for the first time since she enetr the crowd, the rest of the group was following along. " Okay, now I've gotta go." Una said, walking towards the enterance.  
  
"Why?" Madeleine called out to her new friend.  
  
"A friend of mine is coming in from space to help with my mission tonight, and I promised them I'd come pick them up, so I gotta go. Bye!"  
  
"See you tommorow, or Monday at school," she called. "Okay, where are we going to eat," she asked, "I'm hungry." Everyone laughed and the tension snapped.  
  
When they got to the resurant Madeleine and Quatre were engaged in a heated squabble over who would pay for lunch,. Tired of the arguement, Zechs suggested that each of them simply pay half of the bill. They agreed, and the rather large group found a table to sit at. Deula found herself seated between Nion and Zechs. She was having a great time chatting with her fellow gundam pilots, and her "fellow sufferors.  
  
Lunch was a bonding affair where many childhood stories were told. The female gundam pliots laughed at the boys war stories. Quatre was explaining the ZERO system to their new comrades. Madeleine winced, knowing what something like the ZERO could do when it was out of control, especailly to your emotions. And if you had emotions like Quatre did. Sighing she thought back to her brother, Danny's words about girls not fighting.  
  
"So, what's so specail about youi girls?" Noin asked.  
  
Deula released a heartfelt sigh, and looked at her friend. "Noin, you're a good friend, but impossibly dense. Each person here, and Una, was trained to pilot a mech, whether it be a Tarsus or a Gundam, etc. Most professors had two students, ane girl and one boy. They were secertly trained to work together and then a choice was made, only one pilot could be sent to fight OZ, the male set was chosen. We were understandably upset, we revolted and left the training areas. We each moved to a place we deemed safe on our own colonies. I became an army leader, Dragoness became a priestess, Una... well Una stayed Una. Silence became a pracitioner of the Zen arts. Madeleine retook her place, and we tried to live normal lives, hiding in plain sight. Little by little we regained our independence and freedom. Little by little we also formulated plans to get our gundams out of the hands of our former teachers. After a while, a long while, we agreed to work with the wacky scientists. Still, we were stopped from entering the war. Leaders on each colony fell to Lady Une's charms and we began to fight the war in our own way. At every opportunity we undermined Une and her idealisms. We did this whenever we could. OZ base functions stopped working, their computers crashed, the engines on on Une's ship blew out, and they caught the wacky guys. Where ever we could back up our male counterparts, through the war, we did."  
  
All of the boys' eyes were on her as were Zechs' and Nion's. While riding out the surprize each female pilot mused about her actions in the war. Each person at the table had braved a graet deal to see the war ended, to see peace. A peace that was soon going to be shattered by the OZ/Whitefang Alliance.  
  
A pale Noin looked up, "Is there anything else we need to know bout you girls?" she asked faintly.  
  
Deula's eyes were full of sypathy as the locked on to Noin's and she nodded. "Yes, there is. You must know by now that Una is the unoffical leader of this band of merry woman in all battles, there are no expections. I may act like the leader but up in the air it's Una who makes the call. That's not just because she's pilot 012, that, however, is part of it. We all feel like in battle there's no one we can trust more than her. She's not going to elevate her own importance like some might. Rules are simple in a fight, do what Una tells you to. Madeleine and I are in command from the momment we touchy down to the moment we go back up again. We deal with everything relating to the press and other important things, like weapon and ammo suppliers. There is also on more Femme fatal, a young Lt. from my ranks trained by her life experience. She's an ace in air battles." Deula smiled. " That about explains all you need to know about us. WE really don't feel like explaining anymore at this point in time."  
  
Heero nodded, " The release of too much imformation could compromise the mission." The statement was uttered in Heero's flat monotone.  
  
Deula smirked, the translation of what Heero had just said, to someone who knew him well, went something like, ' Telling us too much could get you killed. And I won't stand for you doing things that could get you hurt.'  
  
Deula laughed and looked at the others, one by one they nodded. Still smiling, she pished out her chair and stood. "It was great to finally meet all of you, but I've gotta leave."  
  
Noin looked up questionly.  
  
"I've got a five hundred word essay to write on the command structure of the 1st mercenary army. Here's the kicker, I can't let on that actually run the god-damn thing ang the command structure is so lose it's nonexistant. Bye!" Leaning over the table she kissed Heero's cheek, then Trowa's, turned, and walked out the resurant and into the street.  
  
"I wonder how she's getting home," Duo thought out loud.  
  
"Her car, my car, a taxi." The Dragoness suggested  
  
"Maybe, but ya know, she's the leader of the biggest standing army around. I think she could do something more expensive." he commented.  
  
"Perhaps," Madeleine said pulling a waiter aside and asking for the bill. He scurried back a few minutes later with the bill for lunch. She looked at it, and did some mental calulations while pulling out her chequebook and writing the date. She then proceed to fill in everything else and sign.Returning the bill to it's former state, she placed her cheque on top of it, overturned.  
  
Pushing out her chair she said a fond good-bye to each of the pilots, the male pilots that is, and left the resurant. The other female pilots soon followed her example. Excusing themselves the left, saying they'd see the male pilots at school on Monday.  
  
The male pilots,Zechs, and Noin sat there. Starring stupidly into space. To say their new teammates were mini whrilwinds was a gross understatement.  
  
Quatre moved to pick up the bill and the upsidedown cheque on top of it. He looked mildly surprized. "She didn't.." he breathed  
  
Looking over his shoulder Duo sighed, "I hate to say it but she did, buddy..."  
  
Chapter 12  
  
The song "Shining Star" belongs to the Backstreet Boys. I make no claim to owning it.  
  
%~^- stuff inside is part of the song  
  
Meteor II :Landing Bay  
  
"Flight 7243, from L1, now docking," the computer voice intoned.  
  
Una looked up, that was the flight her friend was on. Getting up she closed her magizine(sp?) and walked toward the docking bay. The crush of people nearly suffocated her, she had grown up in isolation, and people still made her nervous, aswell as that lovely boxed in feeling known as cholesterphobia she always got. Her eyes scanned the unloading passengers, looking for her friend. When she finally saw him she sighed in relief. She would never admit it, but she had been worried.  
  
He walked, no swaggered really, up to her, "Hey ya, baby, ya miss me?" His whole attitude reeked of innocence.  
  
She punched him on the shoulder, not a friendly punch, more of a 'how dare you ask such a stupid question' punch. "You had better have missed me, because I found myself missing you. And you owe me lunch."  
  
"How ya figure that?" he asked, mildly curious.  
  
" I had to miss lunch with my new friends and teammates to come pick your sorry carcas up," her voice was quiet, almost to soft to hear, "and, now, I'm hungry."  
  
"Alright, beatiful. where do you want to eat." His stomach growled at him, "Because I'm famished. I didn't quite know what breakfast was on the shuttle. It was kinda grey, lumpy and gross." he stated.  
  
"I say this on behalf of all of the world's tastebuds: EWWWWWW! YUCK!" then she continued, "the problem with your theory, genius, is that I don't know any of the resurants on Earth."  
  
"Well, I know this great cafe about five minutes away," he offered, "we could eat there."  
  
"Cool with me"  
  
"Alright, let's go, by the way, where'd you park?"  
  
%~^ You're my shining star  
  
That is what you are  
  
There is no one like baby  
  
Angels everywhere  
  
Everytime your near  
  
You will always be my baby  
  
Baby when you do the thing you do  
  
I wanna be close to you  
  
'Cause I need to feel your every move,oh  
  
Baby I can never say how much  
  
I need your touch, I can't get enough  
  
Baby I can never say how much  
  
I need your touch, I can't get enough  
  
You're my shinind star  
  
That is what you are  
  
There's no one like you baby  
  
Angels everywhere  
  
Everytime you're near  
  
You will always be my baby%~^  
  
10 minutes of searching and a located car later...  
  
"So what are we doing tonight, baby?" he asked opening in the driver's and getting inside. Una got in the passenger's side and smirked.  
  
"Standard operation. 012 and ally will destroy an OZ/Whitefang Alliance base in the sub-artic of the country formally known as Canada, at exactly twenty-four hundred hours. And who told you could drive my car?" She lifted the keys into the air. They were clenched between her thumb and forefinger. For the full affect she raised a sardonic eyebrow.  
  
Smilimg sweetly at her, he snatched the keys from her. "Well, honey, I'm the one who knows where we're going, so it only follows that I be the one who drives us there." He peeled the car away from the curb and headed into traffic.  
  
2 1/2 minutes and a wild ride later...  
  
Una got out of the car, not listening to her stomach as it told her it wanted to rid itself of the small amount she'd eaten so far.  
  
"I thought you said FIVE minutes away," she accused the man exiting her car, curoius that he didn't look like his stomach was about to declare war on his backbone and other various parts of his anatomy. That didn't mean she wouldn't though, especially if her ever drove like that again with her in the car, or her car.  
  
%~^ Baby you're as close as close can get  
  
And baby you know I'd let  
  
Every single part of me be yours, ooh yeah  
  
It doesn't matter if the phone might ring  
  
'Cause I won't hear a thing when I'm in your arms  
  
'Cause you know what to do to turn me on  
  
You're my shining star  
  
That is what you are  
  
There is no one like you  
  
Angels everywhere  
  
Everything you're near  
  
You will always be my baby  
  
I've never been so satisfied  
  
With anything in my entire life  
  
'Cause you are doing everything so right  
  
Oh, oh, baby  
  
I've never been so satisfied  
  
With anything in my entire life  
  
'Cause you are doing everthing so right  
  
Oh, oh, baby%~^  
  
"You, idiot, that was my car; you could have smashed it up really good," she stated.  
  
"Your car was never in any danger and neither were you, so stop lookin' at me so funny," he curtly replied.  
  
They glared at each other, over Una's car.  
  
"Jason, don't you ever do that to me again. Speed in battle sistuations is cool with me, but the way you drive is just plain ... reckless." Her stomach growled and she sighed. "Now, let's go in and eat. I'm starving!"  
  
Jason smiled and laughed, then made Una laugh by contritely saying, "Yes, mother, whatwever you say."  
  
Arm in arm, and in charity with each other, they entered the corner cafe and sat down to eat lunch.  
  
2 hours of food later...  
  
Una sat back in her chair and smiled, "Okay, now I'm full." She stopped to think for a moment. "So now we ask for the bill and spilt the cost of lunch," she said cheerfully, her ealier humor restored.  
  
Jason shook his head morunfully. " No. You can't pay half. Picking up my 'sorry carcas' caused you to miss lunch, so this is my treat. Don't, however, get used to this treatment. I maybe rich, but I'm no gentleman."  
  
Una laughed. "Honey, I didn't expect this much. Remember how we met?" she asked.  
  
"Sure, I do, sweetheart, I can't forget it or anything else about you. Girl, I think I maybe in love with you. So, now, I'm glad to be here to guard your back. No offense to your friends, but I want to be the one to be protecting your back. I want to be the one you come to with your problems. I'm pretty damn sure that's what it is to be in love, and therefore it follow that I'm in with you."  
  
Una opened her mouth, several times. "Jason, honey, I don't know what to say. I care so much about you, I'll kill any girl that lookes at you."  
  
"So what's the problem?"  
  
"I don't know if that's just lust speaking or if it's something deeper. I never had a childhood, in the normal sense of the word, no loving parents to ask questions of. What I'm trying to say is I don't know what love is, and I's really like to not ruin what we have by saying... what I just did..." she stammered to a stop before plowing on, "but it needs to be said. I care about you, Jason, a lot. So much that it scares me sometimes. I just don't know if what I'm feeling is love. Can you understand what I'm saying," she quiered.  
  
"Sure, Una, you need time. So time is what I'm goin' to give you. I won't mention the again 'til you think you're ready."  
  
%~^ You're my shining star  
  
That is what you are  
  
There is no one like you baby  
  
Angels everywhere  
  
Everytime you're near  
  
You will always be my baby  
  
You know I adore you  
  
Wanna be there everyday for you  
  
To satisfy your every needs my baby, baby  
  
You know I adore you  
  
Wanna be there everyday for you  
  
To satisfy your every needs my baby, baby  
  
You're my shining star  
  
That is what you are  
  
There is no one like you baby  
  
Angels everywhere  
  
Everytime your near  
  
You will always be my baby%~^  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Meteor II : Mission  
  
*- denoted thoughts  
  
Author's note: Remember timezones  
  
Twenty hundred hours...  
  
* Four hours is all we have. Gotta do this right, we don't get a second chance* Jason looked at the vidscreen in his mech. His mech was slightly more advanced that the Tallgeese II, almost a Gundam, almost.  
  
Una sat in her cockpit, she had finished checks for the mission. Hitting the communication button, she waited for it to find the ferquency Lion worked on. When it finally coonected she spoke into the microtransmitter, located under her blood red helmet. "Are you ready for take-off, Lion?" she asked  
  
"Yes," he never dallied with long reponses.  
  
5 minutes after communication...  
  
Both Dragon Rage and Lion were in the air and racing towards the target. There wasn't really anything to worry about, this was a simple find and destroy mission. It contained few risks. The limited risks wer the reason she was flying with Lion instead another pilot.  
  
Twenty- two hundred hours...  
  
Una sighed, "Simple," she muttered, "well it would be if we could find the god damned base."  
  
"Rage, I have a lock on the target."  
  
"Where is the god damn place?" she asked.  
  
"Thirty miles north west of your current location. Lion, out."  
  
Muttering obsurities under her breath, Una started to head towards the location of the base.  
  
Thirty miles northwest of Una's last known location...  
  
Lion was waiting, not very patiently. He was sitting in hos cockpit bitting his nails, or trying to, he'd already bitten them down to the quick. " Where the hell is she?" he asked himself. " It's only thiry miles, she should have been here by now. Where is she? That's it, I'll give her one more minute before I blow this place up and go looking for her. This is just not a good day."  
  
Suddenly, the audio communicator crackled to life, and Una's voice came over it. " Lion, I've been detained by a group od moblie dolls: blow up the base and get out of here. Rage out."  
  
The sounds of combat came over his audio communicator and were quickly followed by two great flashes of light, from between them flew a gundam, red as blood. Una had survived, but the mission wasn't yet complete. He fired his missles at the base and watched it blow sky high. They still had to get back and file a report, they weren't out of hot water yet. When the were at the safehouse with the report filed the mission would be truly over.  
  
The gundam and the high specialized mech flew off into the night sky, a sky as black as pitch.  
  
At 24 hundred hours both pilots were back at the safehouse. Una had been putting together her report as they flew home. Hitting send on her laptop, she smiled as she looked at the time 23:59. They had beaten the clock. Now as far as her superiors were concerned the mission was over. For her, however, the mission wasn't over 'til her ally and herself were safely on the ground. Relaxing to soon could get one killed. Of course, she had to know her partner, her Lion was safe aswell.  
  
It was half an hour later when the Gundam and the Tallgese like mech finished landing, touching down at the safehouse. being as late as it was, Una wasn't expecting anyone to be up. Any sensilbe pilot without a mission would be asleep. You slept when you could, you never knew what might come from the Mad Five, and you never knew when.  
  
So, Ina was surprized when see saw Deula sitting in the living room. She was further astonished to see her sister and boyfriend engage in a death glaring competion. It was strange, to say the least, and vaugely scary. Finally, they nodded to each other, as if having decided something while Una's back was turned. It was unsettling.  
  
The three trooped off to their quaters, like good like pilots. After all, it was only insanity that could keep one up this late, especailly after the day they had endured. Well, insanity, a mission, or meeting your sister's reclusive boyfriend.  
  
Deula smiled as she quietly, her teammates were asleep, ascended the stairs. Deula would lead the team in anything but outright battles, so she needed her sleep. Una and the others, sans Madeleine, wouldn't knoe dipolmacy(sp?0 if it hit them upside the head. Deula after ran an army as a full time job, and she knew what she was doing, she needed sleep. *Leave the press to Madeleine* she thought, *those camera flashes make me queasy, besides she's a a people person and people skills. They didn't just train her to kill. She's definately the best choice for that sort of thing.*  
  
10 minutes after everyone else was asleep...  
  
Deula fluffed her pillows. Tommorow was a very special ady for her. She drifted into a light sleep and on the spiral downward she smiled, *Oh yes, tommorow's avery special day for me. Kinda like today was for my sister.*  
  
  
  
About Seven hours later...  
  
The feamle safehouse was a buzz the morning rituals of the girls who lived there. Morning rituals that foften ci\onflicted. It was during one shouting match over the bathroom that Una wokw up. She looked at her clock, it read about 8:30 am. It was late for her, but still early by normal normal standards. (AN: I'm not up 'til 9:30 on Sundays)  
  
Sighing she got out of bed and streched, then headed down stairs for a cup of tea. It would be at least an hour before she would be able to get into the bathroom.  
  
Meanwhile at Quatre...  
  
Heero got quietly out of bed, so not to wake his lover. The house was silent. The pilots had talked late into the night about their new allies and most were still asleep.  
  
A couple of hours later....  
  
Una was racing around the house. "Damn it," she snarled, "I'm late. Damn it!" Running past the table in the hall she grabbed her motorcyle keys, penned a quick note to her still sleeping boyfriend and was out the door, barely remembering to shut it behind her.  
  
On her way to her motorcyle she pasted Silence's Gundam which was being rebiult. It had been totaled in the same mission that landed Silence at Sally's. Remembering she was late she hurried on her way.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
The song "The Right Kinda Wrong" belongs to LeAnn Rimes. I make no claim to it.  
  
*- denotes thoughts  
  
%~- denotes lyrics  
  
Meteor II : Sunday Ice Cream  
  
Una couldn't believe her dumb luck. "Of all the ice cream shops on earth, of all the days to go to one, How could we both chose The Corner Shop on a Sunday? It's just gotta be my dumb luck."  
  
Heero looked up, and saw her. He saw his sister, his Una. He walked up to her, an ice cream come in the hand he wouldn't need to draw his gun. "So, I see I'm not the only one that remembers and honours the traditions we built as childern"  
  
"No," she replied quietly,"for a long time these tradtions," shesiad indictating her own cone," were all I had left of our family. It seemed wrong to dishonour you two by forgetting them."  
  
Heero simply nodded, knowing Una understood that he felt the same way.  
  
"Ice cream is always better when eaten in good company. Come on let's go outside and eat in the sun, or maybe under a tree. Besides it's way to crowded in here and if our esteemed sister shows up we'll be able to see her." Una pointed out.  
  
Heero just nodded again, releived to have some room to breeth again.  
  
They sat down outside, under a tree, none the less, and began to eat their ice creams. Heero valently tried to stop his strawberry cone from dribbling over his hand and lost horribly. His only concilation was Una was having even less luck containing her vanilla cone. Looking up Una grinned and motioned to the far corner of the parking lot, then motioned for Heero to be quiet.  
  
% Know al about you, your reputation  
  
And how it's bound to be a heartbreak situation  
  
But I can't help it if I'm helpless everytime that I'm where you are  
  
You walk in and my stregth walks out the door  
  
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore  
  
Oh, I know I should do, but I need your touch just too damn much  
  
Lovin' you isn't really something I shoyld do  
  
Shoyldn't want to spend my time with you  
  
Well, I should try to be strong  
  
But, Baby you're the right kind of wrong  
  
Yeah, Baby you're the right kind of wrong %  
  
In the far corner of the parking lot Deula sat on her moterbike waiting on someone. Just then a covertable, a red one, pulled up and Zechs Merquise, better known as Millardo Peace craft stepped out.  
  
A smile graced Deula lips, a rare treat , Zechs knew. Though he had no idea why she was smiling he was glad that she did.  
  
*He's here, he's finally here.* she inwardly rejoiced. She knew Zechs was glad that she'd shown up she coluld tell by the way he was standing. She'd told him she'd come and she'd never lie, fib maybe, but never lie.  
  
"Hello beautiful. How are you doin' today?" Zechs grinned and that grin spread when he saw what she was wearing. Deula's clothing was simple, yet seemed to made espeacially for her. Adorning her legs where the tightest pair of black jeans Zechs had ever seen. An ice blue tee- shirt had the word 'COMMANDER' written across the front in royal purple. The ensemble was completed by a too big leather jacket. The jacket was too big because it wasn't really Deula's. She'd borrowed it from Zechs wardrode and never quite given back.  
  
"Hey ya, handsome. I'm great, you?" she asked sweetly.  
  
Zechs threw his head back and laughed. "Better now that I'm with you." Zechs still grinning sat down on Deula's motorbike. "Did you want to see me forr some special reason, or do you just enjoy my company, lovely."  
  
% Might be a mistake, a mistake I'm making  
  
But what you're givin' I am happy to be taking  
  
'Cause no one's there to make me feel the way I feel when I'm in your arms  
  
They say you're something I should do without  
  
They don't know what goes on when the lights go out  
  
There's no way to explain how the pleasure is worth all the pain  
  
Lovin' you, yeah, isn't really something I should do  
  
I should try to be strong  
  
But baby you're the right kind of wrong  
  
Yeah, baby you're the right kind of wrong %  
  
"Both, and you know it," she said tartly, "but, first, we have to talk."  
  
"More secret sharing. Zechs teased.  
  
" International, highly confidental, state secrets," Deula replied, her smile was sugary sweet.  
  
"Ohh, yeah, I know. Do I ever know," Deula laughed  
  
"Smart ass," Zechs chided.  
  
"Hey, that's not nice, Zechs. We both know that I'm smarter than you. We both know I'm perfect."  
  
"Ouch, baby, that's hurt," Zechs said.  
  
"Oh, you want me to kiss the booboo and make it better," said Deula, having the time of her life.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Zechs said his grin returning.  
  
"So, tell me, what to I have to kiss better? What did I hit?"  
  
"My ego, would you believe."  
  
"Well, I can't kiss that, so I guess I've have to kiss these instead," she breathed, moving to kiss Zechs lips. Suddenly, she pulled away and drew a finger across his lips. Then she leaned forward again and...  
  
Meanwhile under the tree...  
  
"I will kill him. He is as good as dead. No one touches my sister."  
  
"Heero, relax. We can't do squat about it. Remember she's kissin' him." Una pointed out.  
  
"Your point is?" Heero asked.  
  
" I thought I just had my point," Una replied, "come on, let's go. If we don't we'll be acussed of sypining on her."  
  
Heero rose, gracefully, and they walked back into he shop. Inside the shop the, they found a table and began to talk to each other about normal things.  
  
% I should try to run, but I just can't seem to  
  
'Cause every time I run, you're the one I run to  
  
Can't do without what you do to me  
  
I don't care if I'm in too deep  
  
Know all about, you got your reputation  
  
And how it's bound to be a heartbreak situation  
  
But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time I'm where you are  
  
You walk in and my strength walks out the door  
  
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore  
  
Oh, I know I should go, but I need your touch just too damn much %  
  
Deula sighed, she looked up at Zechs, and sighed again.  
  
"What's wrong, Duela?" he asked looking concerned.  
  
Deula smiled, a radiant smile, "Just, please, don't put yourself in Heero's way for the next couple of days. He's bound to be pissed."  
  
"Heero is HERE!" Zechs asked, stunned at the possilblity.  
  
"Yep, him and Una just went inside the parlor. You got anything to do tonight, any missions?"  
  
"No," he answered warily.  
  
"Good, she sounded exuberant, "that means I can phone you tonight. But now..." she stopped morunfully, looked at her watch, and swore."I'm late and have to go."  
  
Zechs got up off her bike and she started it and took off into traffic.  
  
%Hey,yah, lovin ' you isn't really something I should do  
  
Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you  
  
Well, I should try to be strong  
  
But, baby, you're the right kind of wrong  
  
Baby you're the right kind of wrong  
  
Baby you're the right kind of wrong  
  
Yeah, baby you're the right kind of wrong %  
  
Chaper 15  
  
Meteor II : Memories  
  
Deula now knew why her sister hated being late. It was no fun. She arrived at the Safehouse and changed into a tight fitting flight suit. She exited as queitly as she had entered, which was quiet indeed. It was unusual that she would run a mission during the day. It was easier to work in the protective cover of darkness.  
  
Deula was still smiling when she reached her Gundam. She had been told, at four this morning, that she had a mission today and it started at ten thirty in the morning. Which was why she was running late. It was nine minutes after ten, and she still had to get to the meeting point.  
  
It was ten thrity-nine AM when Deula arrived at the meeting point. She was surprized to see Trowa and his Gundam, Heavyarms, waiting for her.  
  
"I thought," she said in her quiet voice, "that this was a solo mission."  
  
"I don't know," Trowa replied,"I was told to be here for ten thirty. Doktor S never told me why."  
  
"That's just how it is for us. We always have to figure the reason out on our own. Luckily for us this is just a recon mission of the OZ?Whitefang alliance's headquaters. It should be easy.  
  
Trowa nodded and both enter their Gundams, having exited them before the conversation started. Both gundams blasted off and began to head east,  
  
towards a small isolated island in the trpics. It was located there for sercurity purposes. It would make it hard to infiltrate, but not impossible. Not for two as skilled in the arts of being sneaky as Deula and Trowa were. For them very little was impossible.  
  
Getting in was difficult, an unexpected vist for an apoosing general had caused everyone in the target to on guard, that had complicated the infiltration. Deula and Trowa were now safe and in positon to complete their mission. In a week, if they were lucky, they would have all the information they needed to succeed in attacking and destroying the base. Destroying the enemy's Earth HQ was the main reason the female pilots had come to Earth, everyone knew that it hadn't been simply for the chance to catch up. Therefore, the mission came first, it always had.  
  
About 5 1/2 days later...  
  
Stridding down the coridor Deula made her way to the major computer facility in the base; swiping her access card through the lock on the door, she entereed, looking like she belonged, which, of course she didn't. The interloper sat down at one of the terminals. The terminal, she knew through observation, was connected to the super computer. Painstakingly she started to copy vital files such as: attack plans, personal files, base floor plans, military weaponry, manpower, etc. One copy she sent to her aide-de- camp, via a sercure link, the other she copied to a series of disks. This way the intel would get to her allies no matter what happened to her. Destroying any evidence of her information gathering took more time than the actually gathering, but by the time she was finished only an expert hacker or a person who knew the system inside out would be able to tell that some files had been tampered with.  
  
Meanwhile, Trowa reported to commanding officer of the base. Silently and discreetly, he surveyed her office. It was a clean, spartan affair, suited to her personality. As she sat behind her huge oak desk, she listened to him report in, and she studied him. For all her stern practicality she hadn't been hard to decive.  
  
Late that night Trowa and Deula met in Deula's room to dicuss, what else, the mission.  
  
"We've been here five days and the mission is complete, what are we going to do with the extra day."  
  
" Getting out will be harder, Trowa. I can use that one day to make sure that everything is still going according to schedule. We can't have anything go wrong. It would be a disaster. Besides we don't want to blow our cover, it may be useful latter in the mission. I've arranged for leave for both of us. It starts tommorow at about five in the afternoon. We can walk out and no one will bw any wiser. Mission complete and no cumbersome battles to deal with afterwards. It will be a whole lot easier if we do it this way."  
  
No one spoke for a while, the minutes dragged by in silence.Finally, Trowa nodded his head, silently rose and walked on cat feet back to his own quaters.  
  
The next day...  
  
Trowa and Deula walked out of enemy headquaters calmly. In fact they seemed almost serene.  
  
"See, I told you that it would work. We still can come back here if we need to. It's the perfect plane to get us out of here quickly, quietly and without a huge attention grabbing fight. Capture at this stage of the mission id not an option. The only way we can live normal lives is to fight, so that's what we're going to do."  
  
As it turned out they got to their Gundams without any trouble. Deula allowed hersel a moment to gloat, but stopped to avoid acquiring attention. Nothing happened as they lanuched and started over the ocean, back to their safehouse.  
  
Deula let out a sigh of relief when she saw the ocean passing under her Gundam.  
  
"Trowa," she called into the audio link.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Remember, it's safest to download and send the information to the others."  
  
"I know, Deula. I was just starting to when you interupted me."  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
Conversation ended as both worked on getting their information safely transmitted to their teammates. It was best to do that now, so that they'd be free to fight, if the need arose, or something happened to them.  
  
The trip was peaceful, even though they were flying through eneny airspace. Being in enemy airspace meant that niether pilot could set their Gundams on autopilot and go to sleep. With sleep out of the question there was only one thing to do, and that was talk.  
  
Deula opened the communication channels and smiled. "So what are we going to go to pass the time?" she asked  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"Maybe we can talk?"  
  
"Talk?"  
  
"Yeah. It's an activity that requires the movement of lips and the creation of sound."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, when you wer little you used to talk a lot more, and in actual sentences, and all that good stuff."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Well, ever since, Trowa Barton, the first, took you in Doktor S had his eye on you as a potenial pilot. I looked out for you when you were still Nanshi. I could probably tell a couple of stories abot when you were a little Nanshi. Hmmm." Deula paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, and started again, " It was a wonderful day outside, not that you were paying any attention..."  
  
Two hours later...  
  
Trowa was suprized when Quatre's face appeared on his vid screen. Suprized that he had held out as long as he had.  
  
"Trowa, what's wrong?"  
  
"Deula is telling me stories from my childhood. Not only that, she's been doing it for at least two hours. I think I may just go insane."  
  
"Oh," Quatre sounded delighted. "Can I listen too?"  
  
Trowa released a heartfelt groan.  
  
Forty-five minutes later...  
  
Both Gundams touched down. Trowa and Deula jumped out. Deula immedeately went over to where Quatre was standing. They promptly started talking, drawing several strange looks from their fellow gundam pilots.  
  
Heero took one look at Trowa, and pulled him off to the side. When they were out of hearing range he murmured, "Welcome to the family, " to Trowa. He then walked away laeving a mystified Trowa in his wake.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Don't expect any more soon. Though my teachers are going on strike and I will try to advance my writing projects. Which are this story and one called "Hunter of the Blood." Please read and review I like feedback, so don't worry if all you've got for me is constructive critism.  
  
Hugz  
  
Shanis 


	10. Meteor II : Chapters 16 21

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!  
  
Demona, here's a Christmas fic for you. I'm done and I beat your putting out chapter 18. You have so gotta hurry up. But still, have as merry of a Christmas as you can  
  
Lirpa, thank you so much for all your support in this endevour. I so couldn't have done it without you. Merry Christmas, may it be filled with joy. ~*~*Angel123292*~*~ , thanks so much. It was so wonderful to hear that someone thought that my writing was good enough to knock them off their chair. I'm sorry but this is coming out all in one part. Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. thundagwa, thanks for the kind words. This is the last chapter, but one day I may write another story with the characters, especially my pilots, if that's of any interest to you. Merry Christmas!!!!!  
  
Chapter 16 Meteor II: The Planning Process  
  
Everyone looked at the map spread out on the table surrounded by pilots.  
  
"It's impossible!! We can't just attack head on, we'd never survive it."  
  
"I agree, we need to attack from the inside aswell. That is if we hope to come out of this alive."  
  
"The only way to destroy the base from the inside is to send Deula and Trowa back undercover in that base. When they're undercover anything could happen to them. we cannot afford to lose such important members of our team. They are vital." Wufei pointed out.  
  
"We must cpmplete the mission," Heero stated in a monotone.  
  
"Yet, we must also think of the missions that follow this mission," Wufei snapped.  
  
"We have to put them back undercover, Wufei, however, before we do that we will work out a series of codes and bring their Gundams close enough that they can reach them, in case of emergency. I can't see any other way I'm afraid." Quatre told the assembled pilots. "Treize has agreed to help with the plan. He will contribute his knowledge, some of it inside, because not all of their inner workings can have changed in the period of time they had to asssemble. Trieze will provide us wil knowlegde on Oz and the Alliance, and Zechs has knowlegde of Whitefang that he has agreed to share his knowledge. We should be able to form a cohesive attack plan that won't get us killed."  
  
"So, now all we have to do is get Deula und Trowa back undercover, maybe someone else." Heero voiced his concerns.  
  
"I'm out," una murmured, causing everyone to look at her. "What? I am, I simply look to much like Deula. It wouldn't work."  
  
"Since, Wufei, doubts us so much, let him come with us and back us up." Deula challenged.  
  
"Fine, onna. i do not fear this mission, I simply don't trust all the plans. Far too much could go wrong."  
  
"True, our planning still has some holes in it, but that is why we're all here. We need to form a plan that's agreeable all involved in the battle," Zechs ceeded diplomatically.  
  
"Once, we do that we can begin the preperations to take the battle to our enemies. It is my hope that a good plan will or eradicate the lose of life, for both sides" Madeliene's voice whispered from her place between Wufei and Heero.  
  
"That still leaves the question of how we're going to attack the base," Heero pointed out, recieving a glare from Una.  
  
"Well," Quatre said, looking at the faces around the table, "I think that we should attack in three groups. The ones on the inside of the base, which happens to be Trowa, Deula, and Wufei, is one. That leaves nine pilots to attack the base from outside positions. The rest of us will be spilt into two more groups, because the best launch positions ae two islands. They're close to the base, but not so close that we'll be discovered.  
  
"That's cool, Quatre!" Duo exclaimed, and looked at the map. "But what about retreat, those islands look kinda far away for that." Everyone turned to Duo, then, most , gathered around the table and looked suprized that Fuo was right. The Dragoness, however, wasted no time looking suprized and went straight to looking smug.  
  
"The baka raises a good point," Heero ground out. "Retreat under these conditions would be difficult. We need to plan a retreat."  
  
Silence studied the map, her eyes narrowing, "What about," she paused uncertainly, and then plowed ahead, "if retreated into the ocen itself. We can hide there until the patrols cease, and they start to rebuild the base, or abandon it."  
  
Una cocked her head, "But if they do rebuild the stupid thing we'll be right back where we started."  
  
"I don't think so. You see next week, the leaders of the OZ/Whietfang Alliance will be at the base. Attacking when they're present increases our chances of eliminating, or at least disgracing them, and spreading their mistakes throughout the officer core. Which should cause this war machine to lose a few wheels." Trowa's idea ghosted from his lips.  
  
"That would make an impact" Quatre mused.  
  
"The arrival of our enemies to brass means that we have to base our schedule around, if not on, theirs. If they make and last minutes changes, to put it bluntly,we're screwed. I don't like how vulenerable that makes," the Dragoness said, all hints of humour gone from her mocha eyes.  
  
"true, my friend," Madeleine replied, "but, we don't really have any choice in the matter. Our plans should cut down on the time we're open to an attack."  
  
Deula looked at Heero and Una, "You two are going tp create Wufei an identity and a reason for being in taht base or we're not going to be able to pull this plan off." Heero grunted and Una nodded.  
  
"The best course of action is for us all to get some sleep, we'll be able to make a more efficient plans tomorrow morning," Zechs stated, drawing the attention of those assembled to just how late it was. Tramping of to their beds the weary pilots fell asleep, and dreamed of the battles to come.  
  
The next morning...  
  
Stumbling down the stairs, Silence looked around before heading to the kitchen. The coffee machine was producing something that looked like coffee, and hopefully wasn't sludge. "Coffee," she breathed in awe, "must have coffee." Duo's bad luck has him enter the kitchen just then and interrupt one very determined young lady's path to the life giving caffine that the coffee contained. Growling at Duo, Silence pushed him out of her way, which sent him spilling onto his ass. Getting up of the floor, Duo beat a hasty retreat from the kitchen, looking at Wufei, who was entering the kitchen, as he left.  
  
Heero looked around, and pronounced, "She's an absolute crazy!"  
  
"A coffee driven crazy to make matters worse," Madeleine commented, as Silence exited the kitchen with her morning dose of caffine. Silence turned, looking queerly at them, "Don't we have a battle to plan?" With that reminder they all took themselves to what Dragoness had dubbed "the planning room." Because she said, "it's a room where we plan. What else do you call it?"  
  
Slowly the paricipatents fiilled the room, and they found Una, Deula and Zechs leaning over the map, the map spread out in the center of the table, which was in the center of the room.  
  
"That might work, but Deula will have to be careful," Una pointed out.  
  
"What might work?" Madeleine querried.  
  
"Having Deula block the communications frequencies so they can't call for reinforcements."  
  
"Reinforcements, damn!! I knew I forgot something, but I didn't think it would be something that important!" Madeleine swore.  
  
"Yeah," Duo agreed, earning a sharp look from Wufei, "but ya ain't Wonderwoman and they seem to have this base covered from top to bottom. Come on, you can only do so much."  
  
Wufei, covertly, grabbed Madeliene's hand and gave it a small squeeze, a small gesture of comfort that she seemed to draw strength from. And was unseen by most of the pilots, and those who did notice it didn't mention it.  
  
"All right," una announced, after everyone had arrived, "there have been some changes to the plan." The pilots talked and argued over the revised plan for hours, making several other revisements.  
  
Looking at the clock Trowa signalled to Deula that it was time for them to leave,and put the plan into operation. A second later, everyone's eyes were anchored to the clock aswell.  
  
"Wufei's idenity?" Deula asked.  
  
"In place and he even knows who he is."  
  
"OK, people, it's time to begin phase one of the final steps to complete this mission." The three undercover agents left the room to a corus of "Good luck's."  
  
Chapter 17 Meteor II: First Strike  
  
Wufei was exhausted, being an undercover agent was tough. The worst was never letting your true identity slip out. It was altogether a taxing experience, and not one he was to experience again anytime soon. Deula and Trowa took to this sort of mission like ducks to water, however, which just added to Wufei's annoyance. It was incredibly annevering to se them not having any problems with this work. It would be up to them to light the fuse to this power keg, and wufei was wondering if they'd left enough line to safely escape, or, if they'd get caught and killed in their own trap. And, finally, Wufei was afraid to do or say something that would endanger the mission, and let his new clan down.  
  
Deula smiled. She was busy working with the OZ/Whitefang Alliance computers, though not as skilled as Heero and Una, she was still a decent computer tech, well above normal standards, which was she was working on eliminating a virus. The irony was that the virus had originated in her army, as a way to knock out enemy communications. It worked very well. As far was Deula knew everything ws still going according to plan. The generals abd other top leaders were still visiting when they'd planned to, the attck was still on schedule, her companions were still safely undercover, and their means of escape had been transported to the agreed upon location. Soon, the Earth based threat would be elinimated, and she could go home, back to space. She knew it would be a jump for the boys, who had been on Earth since Dermail's little rebellion, but they'd adjust, they'd adapt. They were Gundamn pilots and Gundamn pilots were like every other creature: they adapted or they died. With no plans for dying in the foreseeable future, adapting was the only choice left.  
  
This part of the mission was the opening shot. It was fired, silenced, but fired. Now, it was time to make sure that nothing went wrong.  
  
2 days later...  
  
Trowa stood at attention, waiting for the ewnemy generals to disembark and leave the landing pad. It would be 30 hours from the moment that they entered the complex that the mission would commence.  
  
The door slammed shut. "They're in, " he whispered into the audio transmitter. The clock had started. There was less than 30 hours to doomsday for the men who wished to take freedom from the peoples of the colonies and Earth. Not after they had fought so hard for it.  
  
Quatre listened to Trowa's transmission. In the background he could hear the other pilots scrambling to make sure their Gundamns were in the best shape possible. The OZ/Whitefang Alliance would be fighting with mobile dolls so speed was especailly important. No advantage was to be overlooked, just one may be the difference between victory and defeat.  
  
Deula looked at her watch. It was time to destroy the communications center. Reinforcements would be devasting if they were to appear during the course of the battle. This whole plan hinged on nothing going wrong, but when didn't they. She sat down at a computer terminal, looking like she belonged abd proceeded to access a program that would shut down the entier communications grid in the area, except the Gundamn systems. When the screen turned black she was care ful to react as everyone else. In the noise, no one heard her murmur, "Phase one is complete." Trowa, Wufei, and the base that contained the other pilots did though. And it was time to begin the war.  
  
Gundams blasted off, Sandrock and Shooting Star leaving last. The pilots heard Madeleine's warning, the one they's been hearing all day, "Remember to fly low to avoid radar."  
  
Deula raced along the coridirs behind Trowa and Wufei. Panic rukled inside the base, so they weren't noticed. They slipped out, one at a time, the others standing guard. Wufei was glad it was just battle now. He was much better at those, this undercover work just wasn't for him. Their wasn't any honour in it. Running across the tarmac landing pad was gut wrenching. An open area like the landing pad could spell doom for one or more of the pilots. relieft flooded through all three when the reached their machines.  
  
"Let's hope that they checked everything over and it all works, " Deula muttered, as her radio crackled to life.  
  
"Deula?" Wufei's voice was strained.  
  
"I'm in Waterfall, and I'm fine. Let's get the party started."  
  
"Trowa?" Wufei called. Trowa reported and they all lifted off in a wedge formation.  
  
"Have we been spotted yet?" Wufei asked.  
  
"Relax Wu-man, your nevres are showing." Duo's voice came to life on the audio, and he appeared on the vid screen. And for once, no one considered him to be an annoyance.  
  
"I've told you not to call me that, Maxwell."  
  
"Just get to the meeting point," Heero's monotone interrupted Duo's teasing.  
  
The three undercover agents, a.k.a spies, moved towards the meeting point.  
  
"I have visual." Trowa reported. They all flew faster hoping to get there with minutes to spare so that they could catch their breath.  
  
Five minutes later the Gundamns were in a large V, like the kind that ducks fly in, and facing towards the base.  
  
"I disabled the communications system, and they know something is wrong. They don't know what, so we should have time, but it's chaos down there."  
  
"All right, let's light this baby up!" Dragoness roared.  
  
The Gundamns took off towards the base, flying low, so as not to give the defenders any warning. The more mobile dolls they destroyed while they were stationary, the fewer they had to worry about when the fighting started.  
  
"The dolls are in the last three hangers. The rest of the builings are for personnel." Troaw informed them. The pilots digested this and readied themselves for what was about to happen, to them, and their enemeies.  
  
They apprpached the base from the North. It was going to be hell on Earth in just a few moments. "Five, four, three, two, one, let's go people." The Gundamns moved into attack position, getting to ready destroy the hangers. The stage was set, the battle was begun, and the players were now committed.  
  
Chapter 18 Meteor II: Battle's End  
  
The Gundamns broke into groups of two. Trowa and Heero broke off to deal with the last three warehouses, the location of the mahority of the mobile doll defenses for the base. They had to be dealt with first, if the mission had any chnace of success. Other units of mobile dolls were flooding the battlefield, the y didn't come from the warehouses that Heayarms Custom and Wing Zero were steadily destroying. Quickly taking stock of the situation the remaining nine pilots broke off into groups of two from the large group they had been in. Zech piloted his Mech over to assist Heero and Trowa in destroying the warehouses, and, therefore, the dolls that were still off- line. Not that there were many of those because the dolls from the second warehouse were assembling in the air above the building. A few dolls from the other two warehouses were joining them. Not many, but still enough, it was time for the Gundamn pilots to prove their mettle, the true battle was about to begin.  
  
Duo sent his sythe threw three dolls and the Dragoness snapped her energy whip through another four, before recoiling, and recharging it, to snap it again. Quatre's simataurs caught a doll between them, and squeezed until it exploded. The Gundamn pilots were trapping the quicker dools, forcing them into a confined area of sky and worrying their flanks. It was a tiring process.  
  
"Behind you, Una," Wufei's voice intoned.  
  
Dragon rage whirled around to bump into the doll behind it, destroying the target lock. Powering up the eye lasers, that were Dragon Rage's main offensive weapon, Una shot and the doll thatnearly brought about her downfall, was destroyed, as well as the one behind it.  
  
"You must pay moe attention to the battle ground, my friend. Otherwise you will find yourself in an early grave."  
  
"I know, Silence. I know."  
  
Across the feild Deula was wreaking havoc. Her missiles were destroying clusters of enemies. Wufei and Madeleine stood back to back. Her energy staff laying about, destroying any enemy that she could reach. Wufei, however, had a more conservative approach. He'd wait until a few dolls were moved away from the others by the mastermind, then he'd destroy the dolls one by one, using the energy spear (you know, that three pronged blade like thingie of Altron's) or the firethrower he'd added in Nanku's memory.  
  
Heero, Trowa, and Zechs were not fairing so well, as they were almost completely surrounded by Hostiles. they were in very deep trouble, and the main attack force was still busy dealing with the other dolls. Trowa was swaeting, he was nearly out of bullets. This situation was going from bad to worse.  
  
"I'm nearly out of bullets," He announced into his comm link.  
  
"Okay, Quatre and I will join you in about one moment." Deula acknowleged.  
  
The moble dolls continued to drop form the sky. the only pilots in any life threatening danger were Heero, Trowa and Zechs, so the team moved to reinforce them,  
  
"All right. Now, I'm out of bullets."  
  
"We'll cover you then."  
  
"Afterall, we are a team, " Quatre added in.  
  
The two new arrivals began to work at destroying the enemy while their controller had the facing the Gundamns that they'd trapped. It turned out to be a costly mistake for the contoller.  
  
Madeline turned leaving wufei to guard her back and trustin silence to her left to tell her if there was any danger.  
  
"Yo, you've got one coming up on your left. I'll try to nail it." Dragoness' voice came over the comm.  
  
'You'll try to destroy it?" Madeleine quipped.  
  
"I try not to liem but ya know, that happens sometimes. It life afterall, " came the reply.  
  
"Can we please cut the irrelavent chatter." Wufei sounded waspish.  
  
"You got it!" Dragoness said, nonchalantly in the background Wufei could hear the expolsion of the doll that she'd been stalking.  
  
Una's voice crackled over the comm link. " My area is clear. Moving to assit in clearing of other hositles from the warehouse area. Requesting back up."  
  
"You got it solider girl, "Dragoness afrimed cheerfully.  
  
And so the battle progressed with Una and the Dragoness searching the outer perimeter and between the warehouses, and Duo moving to help clear the last stronghold of moble dolls. The stronghold in which the other three Gundamns were trapped.  
  
"Trowa, buddy, how ya doing?" Duo inquired.  
  
"I'm fine, Duo. Bur I won't be for much longer."  
  
"We'll have you out of there in a jiffy." Duo then let this sythe talk for him, destroying more dolls.  
  
"We're almost in, just one more moment. We've got an opening. Haul ass, boys. We don't know how much longer we can keep this hole open," Deula snarled. "What's still out there?"  
  
"I've got about five over here." Silence reported.  
  
"We're clear," Dragoness' reported in.  
  
"Then help Silence."  
  
Tem minutes later it was all over and the Gundamn were moving towards their hiding places in the various valeys in the sea floor.  
  
"We did it everyone," Madeleine exhaled over the comm link.  
  
"We won this round, Madeleine. We haven't won the war, not yet." quatre informed. "We still have to worry about the Space Force."  
  
"Spoil-sport, " came the teasing reply.  
  
"Shut up people. I'm tired and I want to sleep," Una grumped.  
  
"The sleep and quit your bitching," Deula replied.  
  
"Can't you tell they're sisters?" Someone commented as they all settled in for the wait before they could make they're next move.  
  
Chapter 19 Meteor II: Promise Ring  
  
*~ indicates the stuff inside is part of a song, which I'm just borrowing and make no claims to. It actually belongs to *shudders* Ricky Martin.  
  
The Sun gelistened, and the hair of the people standing in it shone. Thw ind blew and the people were quiet. A moment of reflection was needed to ground the victors back in reality. And to remind them what they had been fighting for in the first place. Above and beyond the lives and freedom of the people of the Earth and the colonies. A time to remember that as good as things looked the battle wasn't over yet. In fact, it had barely begun.  
  
Death hung over the assembly, but none took notice of it. Death was an old and faithful friend to all that stood. It had shadowed them all their lives and the shadows had only begun to deepen now that they were finding each other. Some again and some for the first time, they were finding peace in each other. Now they had more to fight for. Now they had each other.  
  
*~Every endless night has a dawning day Every darkest sky has a shining ray And it shines on you baby can't you see You're the only one who can shine for me  
  
It's a private emotion that fills you tonight And a silence falls between us As the shadows steal the light And wherever you may find it Wherever it may lead Let your private emotion come to me Come to me*~  
  
Four people stood away from the others, in groups of two. They were all very different, yet they were together in more than one way or they wanted to be. One pair was a brunette and a blonde and the other was comprised of another brunette and a black haired man. All were silent, they didn't need words to comunicate. They had a soul bond, and an understandinf of each other. They were complete around each other; the other was all they needed to be happy.  
  
To be happy, yes, but each deserved to be more than happy. And that would take words.  
  
Wufei looked at the woman standing beside him. She was queitly abosrbing that she had helped bring to them He had been a scholar, so why was is suddenly so hard to find the right words to express himself? It shouldn't be so hard. The words shouldn't be so hard to say.  
  
"Madeleine, I think..." he started.  
  
"Yeah," she replied, "I feel it too."  
  
"So, we're going to give it a try?"  
  
"Of course, life's to short for us not too. We care for each other and as soliders of the peace we have not guarantee that we'll live to regret it!"  
  
"Regret it?"  
  
"Of course, Wufei. We are only human after all. No matter what you think, we're just as vulnerable as any one else. What do we have to lose if we try?"  
  
"Nothing, expect maybe our lives."  
  
"We could lose those at any time." She brushed the arguement aside. "Now, what do we have to gain?"  
  
"I don't know!!"  
  
"Love, each other, and maybe peace for a little while."  
  
"Oh, then I guess we should."  
  
"I'm glad that you agree."  
  
*~ When your soul is tired and your heart is weak Do you think of love as a one way street Well, it runs both ways, open up your eyes. Can't you see me here, how can you deny*~  
  
Mean while...  
  
"I'm glad that you're alright. I was worried when you were isolated."  
  
"Deula, I may not be a tough-as-nails mercenary army general, but it'll take more than the likes of them to remove me from your side."  
  
"And Noin?"  
  
"We're friends, like we've always been. Let the others think what they like, we both have people we love, and they just happen to be each other."  
  
"You love me?"  
  
"Always and forever!"  
  
"Don't make promises that you can't keep, Zechs."  
  
"I'm not. With this ring, " Zechs withdrew a simple ring, " I promise to be around to marry you, in front of all that we both hold dear, and on a planet that's at peace."  
  
Silent tears streamed down Deula's face.  
  
"What? The great mercenary genral crying because I made her a promise?"  
  
"Do you intend to keep it?" she whispered, almost fearfully.  
  
"Of couse, I do. I love you more than anything else on Earth or in the colonies and more than anyone else on either too."  
  
"But, not as much as I love you."  
  
Both crying , they embraced tightly, like they never wanted to let each other go.  
  
*~ It's a private emotion that fills you tonight And a silence falls between us As shadows steal the light And wherever you may find it Wherever it may lead Let you private emotion come to me Come to me*~  
  
Standing with the others, and her boyfriend, Una looked at her sister's happiness, looked at Heero's quiet joy, and she knew all was right in her world.  
  
Wufei looked at Madeleine. "How do they do that?" he asked.  
  
"They have more pratice at it then we do. Don't worry we'll get better." And Silence listened and was happy for her friends. Happy that they had one, and for once the media was silent.  
  
Slightly apart, but still in the sphere of conversation, Quatre looked at Trowa.  
  
"Do you think a discreet little push might help things a long?"  
  
"No, koibito. I don't think that would be a very good move to make."  
  
"Why not? It worked for Heero and Duo!"  
  
"They work differently on the inside; we don't know them well enough. Besides it looks like they're already well on the path to being happy and together."  
  
"That's good. Wufei deserves to be happy."  
  
"And Zechs and the girls?"  
  
"Oh, them too, of course. Especially your song bird. Are you sure that a little puch wouldn't work?"  
  
"Yesm quite sure."  
  
"Oh, darn."  
  
*~ Every endless night has a dawning day Every drakest sky has a shining ray It takes a lot to laugh as your tears go by. But you can find me here til your tears run dry.  
  
It's a private emotion that fills you tonight And a silence falls between us As the shadows steal the light And wherever you may find it wherever it may lead Let your private emotioncome to me*~  
  
Chapter 20 Meteor II: Group Dicussions  
  
Heero looked at Duo, "We should get the others and move on. We need to get back to the safehouse."  
  
"I'll get the others, but only if you get those crazy girls that you call sisters.  
  
Heero nodded.  
  
Duo made his way over to Quatre and Trowa. They talked for a minute, and then they made their way back to the center of the clearing. Duo waved to Madeleine and Wufei, and they ambled over. Heero returned with Una, Deula, Zechs and Una's boyfriend. Silence entered from the same general direction that Madeleine and Wufei had come from.  
  
"We have to decide what we're going to do. Where are we going to go now?" Even though it was a question Heero managed to make it a statement.  
  
"Into space. Home, I guess." Madeleine replied.  
  
"All of us?" Heero shot back.  
  
"Any eho want to go!" Una voiced.  
  
"I'm going," Deula commented. "Most of my army is out in space. They're between colonies. I need to get back to them before they get out of control. They are able to brow beat the officers into doing what they want if I leave them long enough."  
  
Trowa chuckled.  
  
Quatre looked up. "I can help any who want to go get there," he commented.  
  
"Aren't you going?" Wufei asked.  
  
"I'm going, of course. And so is Trowa, at least I think that he is." Quatre looked at his lover.  
  
'I'm going too. this is injustice."  
  
"I think it's safe to say that everyone's going to go," Zechs said.  
  
"Probably, "Duo replied. "I mean it's time for these bastards to meet the God od Death. Shinigami's going to be sending lots of them to hell."  
  
Dragoness chuckled. "Let's go raise some hell!"  
  
"Hear, hear," Una called.  
  
"First lets get back to the safe house and complete the repairs to the Gundamns and mechs."  
  
"Let's go," Silence whispered. "This feels to open. We are not in a very good defensive postion here," she pointed out.  
  
"Let's go! Silence is right, and the spot between my shoulder blades is itching." Deula mused.  
  
And, so, the pilots got into their suits, and those that could fly, flew low to the ground, looking out for the others. Forunately, they got back to thweir safehouse with no mishaps. No enemies appeared, probably because they were racing to what was left of their main land bound base.  
  
'Welcome back." Trieze said from the doorrway. (For why Trieze is alive see a previous chapter.)  
  
"We need to repair and plan some more." Zechs told his friend.  
  
Trieze looked at the rather beat up Gundams. "I can see that, but why more planning?"  
  
"We're going to fight in space," Una said in Heero's monotone. And everyone chuckled, and if they had to explain it, tehy'd write it off to stress.  
  
"So, are we all launching from the same space port?" Trowa asked.  
  
"No, that'd be dangerous," Wufei commented. With Une looking for us because of our long absence, we'd better do this quietly."  
  
"'Fei's right," Madeleine commented.  
  
"We're too noticeable," Quatre continued.  
  
"That's just freaky!" Dragoness interrupted.  
  
"What?" Madeleine asked.  
  
"It's like you all think the same thought. That's just plain freaky."  
  
The group laughed again, and then got back down to business.  
  
"So, if we launch from points all over the world, we need a meeting point." Quatre reminded everyone.  
  
"How about Deula's army. That's pretty hard to miss!" Duo volunteered.  
  
"If you want to fly through a meteor belt," Deula exclaimed.  
  
Duo's eyes lit up, "That would be so cool!!!"  
  
"Yikes," Deula groaned. "You're nuts, you do know that?"  
  
"No more that you," Duo shot back.  
  
"Ouch, that hurt, "Deula said clutching her chest.  
  
"Enough you two!" Heero said. "We have..."  
  
"A mission," they both finished for him.  
  
"Exactly!" Heero murmured.  
  
"but what is there to plan? The posts are pretty irrelevant when it actually comes down to it."  
  
"True, " Quatre commented. Looking at the couples, he got a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Anything you'd like to share?" he asked innocently.  
  
"I don't think so," Zechs said dryly.  
  
"Not that I know of," Deula said lightly.  
  
The other four quickly nodded their agreement.  
  
"Oh?" Una quiered, getting in on the fun.  
  
"No!" Deula snapped back.  
  
"I see," Una replied.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Yes. I wish you many happy days in the future."  
  
Deula blushed.  
  
Everyone, including Deula, laughed. And if they were caught, they blame it all on tension and stress. And, of course, fear that they'd lose theor loved ones in what they were about to do.  
  
Chapter 21 Meteor II: The First Step to Freedom  
  
Duo looked up at the launchpad. All the gundams, or large mechs, were on the launchpad. All the pilots were present, expect for Trieze who was staying behind to coordinate, and keep track of the Earth based enemy activity. Though the OZ-Whitefang Allaince had taken a huge blow to Earth based operations, but they weren't out of the game yet. And so, the pilots were going to space. All together, the launchbase would send up a Gundam every 45 minutes, which meant that this would be a lengthy procedure, what with 12 Gundams, or Mechs, to launch. They had drawn straws, and Duo was the first to go, followed by Una, Zechs, Dragoness, Madeleine, Jason, Heero, Silence, Wufei, Quatre, Deula, and, finally, Trowa.  
  
"I'm scared, Heero..." he said, Duo that is. "Where leaving Trieze all alone down here."  
  
"Don't worry, koi. Deula is leaving a solider of hers, who is a pilot of an advanced mech, to keep him company. And, there's Une and the otehr Preventers. I should have known that he was behind that," Heero berated himself.  
  
"S'okay, love," the five minute warning chimed. "I guess that's my cue to get my rear in gear."  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"Yeah, Heero?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you more." With that Duo raced towards Shinigami. A few minutes later, he blasted into space.  
  
Slowly all those with good-byes to say, said them, ending with a cheerful, "but we'll be together in space in just a little bit, and then everything will be better."  
  
"What do you think, Songbird? Will we win?" Trowa asked.  
  
"I think so. If we do this right we con, but nothing is garunteed. This is a war afterall."  
  
"But we have a chance?"  
  
"We always have a chance, but fighting together makes it a damn good chance."  
  
Trowa nodded and moved off to talk to Quatre. So much death, destruction, and suffering that had happened quietly out of the public spotlight would be stopped by this. Trowa would hazard a guess that Relens didn't even know what was going on, which was for the best.  
  
40 minutes later...  
  
Trowa watched as Deula blasted off into space, to face the battle ahead. They were all going to meet in the meteor field that shielded Deula's army. An army that had agreed to help with the fight in space. Trowa removde anysign of their presence from the base and moved towards Heavyarms Custon. There was no sense lingering on Earth. One day he'd be back, but for now his future, his family, his love, and his very reason for living were in space. And now he'd follow and they'd end this once and for all, as a team, as it always should have been.  
  
Flying through a meteor field was not Wufei's idea of fun. Though through the undercover mission he'd learned to respect the onna who always wore blue, he did not always agree with her choice. Like stationing her army in a meteor field, no matter how good, or how much, cover it provided. It was hell to fly through.  
  
As Deula set Waterfall down on the huge meteor that was her base, she smiled. This was home to her, and it was good to be home. And better to be home with those she loved, and all her new friends. The meteor was set up as a very small colony would be, and the pilots fit right in, her soliders doing their best to welcome their fellow warriors. Deula wondered if she was wrong to be mad at the "Mad Five" for stopping them from getting involed and allowing the situation to fester. Well, if it was wrong, she still couldn't help herself because that was what she was feeling.  
  
Duo bounced up to her, Dragoness and Heero in tow. "How do you keep this place secret?" he quiered.  
  
"I don't have to, the meteor field does that for me."  
  
Duo nodded. "I though so," he murmured.  
  
Quatre approached. "I've been in contact with Trieze and Trowa. When Trowa gets here we'll plan. Una says that the technology here will allow us to add Trieze to the meeting as well."  
  
Jason and Silence groaned.  
  
Trowa set Heavyarms Custon down, got out, and was rushed into a session of planning. After an hour and a half they had a choice between two plans with a high chance of sucess. Deula, Madeline, and Quatre would hone them later. With input from everyone else, of course. They all had areas of expertise. So absorbed was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice the others exit the room he had left ten minutes ago, and come to stand with him.  
  
They all stared quietly at the stars, visable even through the protective blanket of meteors. Thinking of what they had to lose... and gain.  
  
"It's so beautiful up here, sometimes, I forget just how beautiful." Quatre whispered.  
  
"Yeah, but we're here to continue the fight for freedon, to accomplish the mission. Right Una? " Dragoness teased  
  
"No, Dragoness, we're here to make that small step that puts on the road to lasting peace."  
  
"The first step to freedom..." Heeor intoned.  
  
"To peace and freedom," they all echoed, and those echos were heard in the hearts, and souls, of brave people all over. "To peace and freedom."  
  
One small step at a time.  
  
The end, for now.  
  
There may be a sequel. I'm still thinking on it. 


End file.
